A Relentless Pursuit
by FollowTheSun22
Summary: Being the daughter of Christopher Pike brings with it a certain expectation. (James T. Kirk/OC)
1. Chapter 1

_A/N_

_In light of the new Star Trek movie coming out. I just could not resist._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim too. :)_

* * *

Inside a hospital room, a woman was being tended to by three mid-wives while her husband held her hand.

"One more push honey! You can do it!" Christopher Pike said to his wife Vera Noël Pike.

Vera screamed another time, her face scrunching up in pain as she gripped even tighter to her husband's hand as she gave one final push.

"It's a girl!" The Midwife announced as she took the baby in her worn and wrinkled hands to a table covered in cloth and cleaned her off.

Another younger mid wife came from the side and scanned the baby for any complications and seeing none gave the older mid-wife a nod and a small smile.

The older mid wife nodded to her and gently picked up the baby again and brought her back over to Vera who was just checked herself by the third mid wife.

Seeing that Vera was fine the oldest mid wife in the room, the one carrying the newborn gently handed the baby girl to Vera and smiled before stepping back and leaving the room with the other mid wives.

"It's a girl." Christopher Pike said happily looking down at his newborn daughter with joy.

He and his wife had wanted it to be a surprise and so opted to wait until the birth to find out the gender.

"She's beautiful." Vera whispered with tears in her eyes as she smiled through her exhaustion at her daughter.

Christopher smiled at his wife and kissed her on the top of her head not even caring that it was soaked in sweat.

"We did good huh?" He said to his wife as she looked up at him.

"'We?'" She repeated with a raised eyebrow. "I'm sorry; we're you the one who just had to go through twenty-six hours of labor?"

"Hey! I had my hand squeezed for those twenty-six hours." He replied with a small smile.

Vera just gave him a look that said: That-didn't-even-compare-to-what-I-just-went-throu gh.

Christopher raised his hands in defeat before they he looked back down at their daughter, she was perfect to them.

"What are we going to name her?" Vera asked him as they looked down as she squirmed in her mother's hold.

They had discussed names for boys and girls but they couldn't decide on a name. It changed almost every day after they had a chance to sleep on it they woke up not liking the names anymore.

"I'm not sure." Christopher replied as he looked at his wife.

"Well, we don't have to decide now." Vera said to him.

"Alright. Sounds like a plan." Christopher replied with a smile.

"Would you like to hold her?" Vera asked him.

"Sure." He replied softly.

Vera gently raised her arms towards Christopher and he gently pulled the baby out of her arms.

"Watch her head." Vera said nervously to him.

"I know what I'm doing honey." Christopher said to her with a light annoyance in his voice.

He looked back down at his daughter and rocked her back and forth in his arms when the most amazing thing happened, at least the most amazing thing to him.

His daughter opened her eyes and looked up at him.

He smiled at her in joy and then said to her. "Hi little girl. I'm your daddy."

"How about the name Jade?" Christopher asked his wife.

"Jade? I think it's beautiful but I also think that should be her middle name. What made you come up with that one? I don't remember it being in our ideas." Vera replied looking up at him.

"Alright. Her middle name is Jade then. And I got the name because of her eyes." Christopher explained with a smile.

"Her eyes?" Vera repeated curiously.

"There the color of jade. Look." Christopher said to her looking at their daughter and dipping his arms closer so Vera could get a better look at them.

Vera looked in to her daughter's eyes and was surprised to find they were indeed the color of a jade stone. It was not so strange that she had green eyes, Vera had them too and her mother before her did, she just expected them to be the blue grey of her husbands, perhaps when she grew hair it would be black like his instead of her own blonde, they would only be left wondering as she was completely bald for now.

"There beautiful." Vera said aloud. "She's beautiful."

"Why don't we name her after your sister then?" Christopher said to his wife.

"I suppose we could." She replied with a small smile. "Only if it's alright with you." She said to her husband.

"It's perfect for her, "Christopher said to Vera while looking at his daughter.

Vera's sister had passed away when she was only twelve years old in an car accident that killed her and both of their parents. She was only sixteen at the time and at a friend's house. They were on their way to pick her up and she couldn't help but feel guilty about what had happened.

That was why she had joined Starfleet as a field medic, so she could help people all over the universe. It was also where she met her husband. He had been a lieutenant that was just a little too cocky and got in a fight with another officer that landed him in the med bay where she tended to his injuries.

And the next thing she knew she was in love with him.

"Farrah Jade Pike." Vera whispered. "I like it." She told Christopher with a smile.

"Hello Farrah." Christopher said to her as the two parents looked at her in happiness.

* * *

_Hope you liked it!_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N _

_Thanks for the two reviews! Glad people seem to like it! Hopefully you will continue to do so! And also thank you for the follows/favorites!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. :)_

* * *

**9 Years later.**

Farrah and Christopher Pike stood inside the kitchen inside their home in California as they cleaned up the kitchen.

Well Christopher cleaned up while Farrah stood a little ways away from him and licked the inside the bowl that had the cake batter.

"Are you almost done with that?" Christopher asked her with a hint of laughter in his voice. She had been going at the bowl for almost five minutes now.

"Unum. Amost done." She replied to him as she continued licking, her voice muffled because of it. It was her favorite part of making a cake after all. They had just put it in the oven and were now cleaning up from the mess they had made.

"Come on, give it here." Christopher said holding out his hand for the bowl even though she couldn't see it.

"In Secon." She said and then finally pulled away and handed him the silver bowl and smiled at him.

"You gotta a little something on your face." Christopher said with a laugh as he grabbed a piece of paper towel and started wiping down her face that had chocolate cake batter on her forehead and chin.

"Dad! Stop! I can do it myself!" She said to him backing away and taking the paper towel from his hand and wiping at her face.

"Did I get it all?" She asked him with a smile looking up at him.

"Yeah you got it all munchkin." Christopher replied to her as he started cleaning the bowl in the sink.

She continued smiling and underneath his arms that were submerged in the soapy water, she was small enough to fit in the space between and stuck her hands in the water while on her tippy toes trying to help him but really she was making a bigger mes by splashing water on the counter tops.

"Alright. You're no help. Go play or something." He said to her giving her a playful shove away from him with a wet hand.

"Alright!" She said smiling at him and leaving the kitchen and going into the living area, anything to get away from cleaning, her least favorite part.

She turned on the television and set up her game _'defenders of earth'_ it was your typical game that had her as a tactical officer on a Starfleet ship.

She had a knack for seeing strategies for evasive maneuvers and for different trajectories which was why she had a very high scores in the game.

She walked backwards from the TV and flopped down on the couch getting comfortable. It was a Sunday afternoon and her dad was on leave for two months before he would be gone again. Then her mom would come home for some time and all would be well. When her parents were both on ships at the same time they hired a woman named Magnolia to take care of her. She was an elderly woman, with grey hair always up in a tight bun and a face etched in wrinkles. She was like her grandmother and often visited even when her parents were both there or just one of them.

She rather liked Magnolia. So she didn't mind that the woman stayed with her when her parents weren't around. Some of her friends at her school had care takers as well, most of the students there had parents in Starfleet. One girl, Kayla was her name. Told her that her caretaker was strict and made her go to bed an hour before her bed time. Magnolia never did that. Sometimes they would stay up later than her bed time and watch movies together, something her parents never let her do.

* * *

She just blew up an enemy ship when there was a knock at the door. Farrah heard her father go to the door to answer it, but she paid it no mind. Thinking it was someone trying to sell something, she continued her game.

A few minutes later, she still hadn't heard the door close and so she paused her game and saved then stood up and walked to the front door.

She heard two male voices that she didn't recognize and the voice of her father. Whose usual calm and stern voice sounded deeply upset.

Farrah frowned and hid behind the wall of the hallway as she strained her ears to listen.

"...U.S.S. Taurus was destroyed by an engine malfunction. It was very quick and they probably didn't know what hit them." One of the men spoke.

The Taurus...wasn't that the ship her mother was on right now? No. Her father was the second in command of the U.S.S Enterprise and had many people telling him of ships that were destroyed.

But still.. Why couldn't they have just sent him a report? They never came to the house, ever. Her mother was not on the Taurus she told herself. It was the Fauris...

Wasn't it?

Deciding to find out what was really going on she walked out from behind the wall to the door where one of the officers caught her eye. He was younger than her father, with light brown hair and brown eyes to match. The second one had blonde hair and brown eyes as well. They both wore uniforms and had regretful looks on their faces.

The one who had seen her, the brown-haired one's frown seemed to deepen even more as she came up behind her father coming up only to his hips and grabbed hold of his hand.

"Daddy?" She called attentively from below him.

"Hi sweetheart." He said to her as he put his hand on her back and pulled her closer to him for a side hug before looking back up at the officers.

"If you'll excuse us... I won't thank you for coming." He said to them as they nodded in what seemed like understanding.

Christopher stepped back from the door pulling his daughter with him and shut the door slowly in the two officer's faces.

Farrah looked up at her father as he stared at the closed-door. He didn't move from his spot but he kept rubbing her back. She had never seen her father like this and while she was smart for her age and could guess the cause. She refused to believe it.

"Dad.." She whispered gently to try to break him out of his staring.

He finally looking down at her with tear filled eyes which was strange because she had never seen her father cry. She wasn't even sure he could cry.

"Let's go in the living room Farrah." He said to her and tugged her away from the door and to where she had just come from.

They took slow steps to get there and she wondered if they would ever make it. Her dad kept one hand on her at all times and the other on the wall like he was trying to feel his way there, as if he didn't know the way.

Finally they made it to the living room and they walked over to the sofa where her father turned to her and picked her up before setting her down on the couch and sitting next to her.

"Who we're those people?" She asked him when he didn't say anything.

"They were...They were here to deliver news..." Christopher finally answered.

"What news?" She asked him quietly.

Christopher sighed deeply before putting his hands on his daughter's shoulders and looking into her jade colored eyes, so like her mother's that it pained them to look at them; but he would do it for her. "Do you remember what your mother and I told you about your aunt? The one you're named after?"

"You told me that she passed away. That she and my grandparents went in the sky," She replied saying it slowly.

"Yeah. Yeah that's what I told you." Christopher answered taking a deep breath.

"You see, your mother is in the sky with them now," He said to her with tears in his eyes.

"Oh... Well she's just visiting right? She's gunna be back soon. You go away all the time daddy. Why is this any different?" She said to him with a smile and a little laugh at her father's strangeness.

"Farrah... Your right. Your mom is visiting them...but she won't be coming back," He told her as gently as he could.

"Why not? Did I do something wrong?" She asked him with a scared look in her face.

"You haven't done anything wrong!" Christopher corrected her.

"Then why won't she come back? I'll clean my room! It will never be messy again I promise! I know she hates when it's messy! I'll pick up all my toys! I'll do better in school! Then she can come back!" Farrah said to him with tears in her eyes now at the prospect of never seeing her mother again.

"She can't come back. It's not your fault." Christopher told her.

"Why not? Why can't she come back? Why did she go?" She questioned him, looking for answers that he couldn't give.

"I don't know why she had to go. Some things just happen that we have no control over," He explained to her.

"I don't understand!" She told him as tears streamed down her face.

"Sweetheart... Your mother... She's passed away. She's gone," He finally admitted to her as he too now cried.

Farrah just stared at her father trying to wrap her head around what he had just told her. He had to be lying. He had to be... She felt angry at him for lying to her about something so horrible she let her frustration lose and her hands clenched into fists that she brought up to his chest and started hitting him. "Stop it! Stop lying! Stop!" She yelled at him her hits getting weaker and weaker until she stopped and put her head to his chest and sobbed.

"She can't be gone! She can't! She's not allowed to leave!" She said in between sobs as her shoulders shook and Christopher wrapped his arms around her.

"I know. I know. I know." Christopher whispered to her as he rocked her back and forth as they cried together, the cake and game both forgotten.

* * *

Farrah and Christopher Pike stood in front of many others as they dropped a white lily each in the box that would symbolize Vera Pike's body underneath the head stone.

No remains were left of her or any of the 376 other crew members from the destroyed Taurus.

They stepped to the side as friends came and dropped white Lilly's inside the box. Offering condolences to them. Some shook their hands, others hugged them in sympathy. But the two of them didn't seem to even know what they were doing., numb to everything around them.

A tall lean man stepped forward in a Starfleet uniform with five silver stars on each shoulder.

He held his hand out to her father and they shook hands. "Admiral Marcus... Thank you for coming," Christopher said to the man who was the cause of his joining Starfleet.

"Of course Christopher. I was deeply saddened by the news of Vera's passing," He said to him before he looked down at Farrah.

"Farrah, can you say hello to Admiral Marcus?" Christopher said to her.

"Hello Admiral," She said to him shyly while sticking out her hand, the one not gripped tightly to her fathers.

"Hello Farrah. It is nice to make your acquaintance. I have heard much about you. I am sorry we had to meet at such sad circumstances." He told her shaking her hand and putting his other on top of it and squeezing it in sympathy.

"If there is anything you need. Please, don't hesitate to ask." The Admiral said to Christopher.

"Thank you." He said with a nod as the Admiral nodded back and walked away.

More people came and went offering condolences until it was just the two of them left and the box full of flowers had been buried right in front of the head stone.

Together the two Pike's stared at it, each reading it inside their heads.

_Vera Faith Noël_

_2212-2245_

_Loving Mother, Sister, Wife_

_May she rest in peace_

* * *

_I came up with the name "Defenders of Earth" and the "U.S.S Taurus" so if there is a game or a ship named that already they are not related! _


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N _

_I messed up on the dates so Farrah's mother died in 2245 not 2243! I went back and changed it. Sorry about that! Thank you!_

_Thanks for the reviews! And yes, last chapter was pretty sad! But it had to be done! Thanks for the reviews! Favorites/Follows! Its amazing!_

_ Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. :)_

* * *

**Earth, 2254**

Farrah Pike, now eighteen years old had light blonde hair that fell to the middle of her back just below her shoulder blades, although at the moment it was in a high ponytail. She was 5' 8", no longer the girl who only reached her fathers hips at 9 years old.

She walked down the halls between her two roommates at the Starfleet academy to the gym. She had joined two months ago, this being her first year, following in her mother and her father's footsteps.

She had wanted to be a nurse like her mother, but found that it was not her best subject, having gotten just a little freaked out knowing some of the medical complications one could get in space, she hadn't wanted to know about any others and decided to try something else.

After her mother's death, she had grieved for almost a year and suffered from depression, having to go and see a therapist it was so severe. Her father couldn't stay with her for the rest of her life. Starfleet gave him an extra three months leave, but he did have to go back and she now believed because of the resemblance she had with her mother, he needed some time away from her. He hired Magnolia full-time and she moved in to the house permanently.

Magnolia had come to look upon Farrah like a granddaughter. She loved her like her own flesh and blood. And Farrah loved Magnolia too like a grandmother, but no one could ever replace her mother. Christopher Pike never married another woman nor had a girlfriend, though she was sure that he had been on a couple of dates over the years.

He loved what he did and had been made Captain of the U.S.S Sagittarius when the previous Captain had retired. He had not been happy when she told him that she wanted to join Starfleet, but he didn't have much say in the matter as it was her decision, and he eventually caved.

What she didn't realize was the reputation Captain Pike had in the Starfleet academy. He was a great Captain that was calm in all situations and graduated at the top of his class. She was smart, but she was no genius. So she strived to live up to the expectation that she would graduate the top of her class too. Not very easy when there was hundreds of other cadets after the same thing.

Farrah and her two roommates walked inside the gym and joined the line of the other cadets in facing their instructor.

They had been learning combat training, the first week they had used guns, something she had excelled at, her father having taken her out to shoot empty bottles off a fence. Then the week after that they learned to defend themselves with weapons of opportunity. If you were attacked and had no phaser gun then you were expected to defend yourself with whatever you could use.

It was mandatory to have basic combat training in the field. So all first years at the academy had to take it. The second, third and fourth years had it optional.

This week they had learned hand to hand combat, one she was having trouble with but it was only her first year at the academy, she had four years to better herself, and she would try her hardest to do so.

"Everyone pick a partner!" Their instructor, a tall man with black hair cut short, shouted at them.

Farrah turned to her roommate on the right of her, the one she had become closer to in the two months the three of them had shared a room then the other girl was to her.

Once everyone had a partner and the pairs stood apart evenly from each other their instructor called out to them again. "Find a space on the mats. I will be coming around to evaluate your progress. You are to fight your partner in hand to hand combat!" He shouted in a loud booming voice.

Farrah and her friend walked away from the line and to their own space on the mat that covered the floors.

"Want me to go easy on you this time?" Her roommate teased her.

"Not a chance!" Farrah called back with a smirk.

Their instructor blew his whistle signaling them to begin.

Farrah and her roommate charged each other. Farrah threw a punch but her roommate blocked and threw one of her own which Farrah then dodged before throwing one of her own which was blocked, and then her roommate knocked her feet out from under her sending her falling to the ground landing on her wrist.

Farrah hissed in pain and sat up cradling her wrist before turning her head to look at her roommate. "Nyota!"

"You told me not to go easy on you." Nyota a beautiful black woman said to her friend as she walked over to her. "You use your arms, you forget about your feet!" She said to her.

"I only said that to seem tough! You should know me well enough to know that I wanted you to go easy! And I know... My brain seems to think in a fight there's no such thing as legs." Farrah said with a sigh standing up as her wrist throbbed in pain.

"Here let me see," Nyota said to the girl she was beginning to see as her best friend.

"You're not a doctor," Farrah pointed out.

"Fae, come on. I'm sorry," Nyota said to her with a smirk.

"I know, but I will be getting you back for this!" Farrah said to her holding out her wrist as she winced at the movement.

"Pike! Uhura!" Their instructor called making their heads snap up to him as he walked over.

"Sir?" Nyota questioned him.

"Excellent work Uhura," He praised her before turning to Farrah with scrutinizing eyes.

"Pike, you need to watch your feet," He said to her and then looked at her wrist. "Head to the med center and get that wrist checked out. Its swelling, "He said gesturing to the doorway.

"Yes Sir," Farrah replied then turned away from him and nodded at Nyota who gave her a sympathetic smile as she passed her.

Farrah walked across the gym passed the other cadets, feeling like they were all looking at her. "Farrah Pike? Yeah I know her. The failure that shouldn't even be here." They would be saying. But in reality no one was even looking at her and paid her no attention as she passed.

As the gym doors closed behind her Farrah's shoulders visibly slouched in defeat as she made her way down the halls to the med center in a slow walk.

* * *

Farrah stopped in front of the doors to the med center as they started opening automatically as she neared them and walked inside to the nurses' station.

"Name?" The man behind the desk asked her.

"Pike, Farrah," She told him watching as he typed the name into his data pad quickly.

"Have a seat over there. Someone will be with you in a few minutes," He told her pointing at the chairs lined against the wall.

"Thank you," She said to him doing as he said and having a seat while still cradling her wrist.

It wasn't like she expected to be this amazing officer with amazing super hero fighting skills; well she may have imagined it that way a bit. But she most definitely didn't expect to suck this bad.

Nyota, the girl she had come to think of as her best friend seemed to have it so easy. She was amazing with languages and with combat, if she could switch places she would, because she had very little skill with languages, only speaking the basics of a couple.

She knew she would have to work at it to get better, and she shouldn't sulk about her less than skill-full traits. But still she did, and the things she was good at hardly made up for it.

She could plan trajectories of torpedoes in a matter of seconds in almost impossible situations, and had studied weaknesses in ship defenses and knew where to fire the phasers and photons, and she was also good at distributing shield power where it needed to be. She would never admit it to anyone, but she was jealous of Nyota, her best friend, how pathetic was that? She thought to herself.

"Pike, Farrah," A man's voice called breaking her out of her thoughts.

She looked up seeing a handsome man with brown hair and grey eyes in all white holding a data pad.

"That's me," She said standing up and walking towards him.

"This way please," He said leading her to a bed behind an open curtain evenly spaced between two other ones, them both being empty but there were a few other people in the center being tended to.

She sat down on the bed and looked up at him as he started going through her file.

"Have you taken any narcotics in the last twenty-four hours?" He asked her.

"Nope," She replied with a small smirk.

"Ok. Well you can never be too careful. Kids these days, always getting into things..." He spoke but she wasn't sure if he was telling this to her or himself.

"Right..." She replied looking him up and down, he couldn't have been more than 10 years her senior.

"Now what seems to be the problem?" He asked he putting the data pad down.

"I landed on my wrist funny. I think it's sprained," Farrah said to him.

"I'm the doctor. I'll be the judge of that," He said to her pulling out a scanner from his pocket. "Hold out your wrist please."

Farrah did as he asked and he gently took hold of her arm to hold it steady as he scanned it. "It looks like a...mild sprain..." He said to her looking just slightly put out that she was right.

Suddenly the doors opened and Farrah and her doctor looked over as a young man was wheeled in with a bloody leg and she caught just a glimpse of bone that made her feel sick.

She looked away and back to her doctor who was shaking his head and mumbling. "Cadets these days, think they can do anything."

She would have been a bit mad at him for saying that about her fellow class mates, but it was the way he said it that it made her almost want to laugh and agree.

"So how long have you worked for Starfleet?" She asked him.

"Oh I'm not. Well I sort of do. The medical center here is in the Starfleet academy, but they're not under the same jurisdiction. Wouldn't be caught dead in a spaceship! The things you can get out there... I just work in the med center," He explained to her all in one breath that she had trouble catching it all.

"Oh...well why wouldn't you just work in a hospital? Doctor..." She trailed off having not caught his name.

"McCoy, Leonard McCoy." He replied. "And I really don't know what I was thinking.'Oh Leonard you should work at the Starfleet academy! you'll make so much more money then at a hospital and you'll be serving humanity,'" He said in a mocking feminine voice to himself but she wasn't sure who he was imitating.

"Lenny, Can I call you Lenny? I'm gonna call you Lenny anyways. You should have made the choice yourself," Farrah said to him with a smirk at his imitation.

"Yeah, well I gotta do what makes the wife happy." He replied not commenting on the nickname and walking behind her to a cabinet and punching in a code and taking something from inside of it before closing it again and walking back over to her.

"That's too bad." She said to him kind of relating it to what her dad had said about the opposite.

He wanted her anywhere but Starfleet, when she asked him where he told her to be a nurse for a hospital. Even though he knew ho much she did not want to be anything, or have anything to do with medical. She told him she felt like she was meant for more, something better than being a nurse, something amazing.

"Yeah I guess so." He said leaning closer to her and tilting her head to expose her neck then putting the needle against her neck and pressing down. She felt a sting before it was gone and he was pulling away from her.

"That should take down the swelling and give you pain relief. It should be completely healed in twenty-four hours, if not come back here." He told her as he did something with the data pad.

"A little warning next time Lenny?" Farrah said to him rubbing her neck.

"It worked didn't it?" He replied looking at her.

"Pardon?" She questioned him as she continued rubbing her neck.

"Which hand are you using?" He asked her and that was when she realized she was using the one that was sprained not two minutes ago but she felt no pain.

"Wow, that's awesome. Thanks Len," She said standing up off the bed.

"My pleasure Miss Pike. I hope to not see you in a long while," He said to her with a smile.

"Call me Farrah. And I'm sorry to disappoint but I think you'll be seeing me quite a bit!" She said as she walked out the door.

If today was any indication for the rest of her time at the academy, she wondered if she would end up being like that other cadet she saw come in to the med center before it was over.

"I hope not!" She heard him call after her.

"See you Lenny!" She called back leaving the med center and heading to her dorm.

* * *

_I am under the impression it was Kirk who came up with the nickname "Bones" for McCoy, so I don't want Farrah using the same one, so she has her own nickname for him._

_Also.. I am thinking about starting the movie for the next chapter, or do you want me to continue writing about her time at the academy? _


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. :)_

_Thanks to all who reviewed with their response!_

_Outfits for this chapter are on my profile._

* * *

**Iowa, 2255**

Nyota Uhura and Farrah Pike walked inside the bar that was pumping with music. They and quite a few of their classmates had come to celebrate the finishing of their first year. Nyota had her hair down with two pieces twisted from the front and tied in the back with a red dress and red heels. Farrah had her hair straight and down with a black dress and black heels.

Farrah had come to Iowa because the Enterprise was being built at the shipyard. Farrah's father would be the Captain of the fantastic ship and so stayed close to it to see the progress of its building and since they didn't have to go back to the academy for a week she came to visit him, Nyota and some of their cadet friends ended up just tagging along with her. Tonight being their last night until they had to go back to San Francisco instead of having a night's rest they decided to party on their last night of freedom.

In the year that had passed she had gotten better in her combat training, not as great as she would like which was why she was taking it again in her second year. She had finally been able to beat Nyota in a hand to hand fight but had a feeling Nyota was going easy on her.

She had also figured out what she wanted to be as well, her skills were perfect for the job of a Tactical officer and so that was what she was pursuing now.

Farrah had spent the day touring the Enterprise with her father, He said it would be finished in three more years but already it looked amazing. Then he had to leave to fill out some paper work and they parted ways. She was nineteen now, having had a birthday a few months ago so it wasn't like he had to know where she was at all times.

The two of them had gotten a hotel room to share a few miles from the shipyard for the week. Gaila had stayed in San Francisco for the week off, Farrah and Nyota had asked her to come with them, but she had said she wanted to stay.

"Hey! Hi!" The two girls said to some of their friends as they came over to them.

"How are you guys?" One of the girls at the table, Gara her name was asked them.

"We're good. How about you?" Farrah asked her.

"So glad that the first year is finally over!" She shouted holding up her beer and other people cheered in appreciation and clinked their glasses with hers, Farrah and Nyota cheering along with them.

"Ny! I'm going to go get us some more drinks!" Farrah shouted to Nyota and gesturing around the table at the many empty glasses.

"Alright! I'll be here!" Nyota said to getting up and taking a seat beside Gara.

Farrah nodded waved at the table and headed away from the table and headed over to the bar weaving through the people till she came to a stop and leaned over the counter at an open space next to an alien and picked up a menu to order drinks from.

* * *

James Kirk was sitting at a table nursing his fifth beer that night when two beautiful women walked inside the bar. The first one to enter was a beautiful black woman who turned and smiled at the blonde walking behind her. They were both equally beautiful and he watched them as they went over to a table with many people who were not the usual inhabitants of this bar, he should know as he spent quite a bit of his time here. Watching them interact with the others at the table he knew they were most likely cadets, he was smart enough to know that they had the week off and with the shipyard only a few miles from here it was the perfect place to let loose.

The girls conversed with the people at the table and suddenly everyone cheered and raised there glasses in celebration. The two of them cheered together before the blonde said something to the girl she had come with and waved at the table before getting up and weaving through the crowds heading towards the bar. Jim continued to watch her go finding her to be the perfect opportunity. He brought his glass to his lips and downed the rest of it before getting up and walking over to the bar just catching what she was ordering as she leaned against the bar beside an alien.

"Hi, I'd like a Klabnian Fire Tea, three Budweiser Classics, two Cardassian Sunrises and..." She said to the bartender trailing off.

"Gotta try the Slusho. It's good," The bartender offered.

"The Slusho mix. Thank you," She said to him with a smile folding the menu back up.

"That's a lot of drinks for one woman." Jim's voice said from the other side of the alien.

Farrah ignored him and looked at the bartender. "And a shot of Jack, straight up."

"Make that two. Her shots on me," Jim said to the bartender holding up two fingers and gesturing to her.

"Her shots on her. Thanks but no thanks," Farrah said to the bartender though she eyed the man who she couldn't help but find good-looking.

"Don't you at least want to know my name before you completely reject me?" Jim asked leaning closer to her making the alien man lean back.

Farrah shook her head at him and held up her hands. "I'm fine without it."

"You are fine without it," Jim said looking her up and down and he meant it.

Farrah just smiled at him a little in thanks but looked away from him still not interested.

"It's Jim. Jim Kirk," He introduced himself.

The name gave her pause; Jim couldn't be related to George Kirk could he? Farrah's father had done his dissertation on him and looked up to him as a role model. Him and the Admiral.

"If you don't tell me your name, I'm gonna have to make one up," Jim said to her, mistaking her silence from her thoughts as she was still ignoring him.

"It's Noël," She told him, for some reason not wanting to use her father's last name and instead using her mother's pushing through the sting that came with it.

"Noël! No way! That's the name I was gonna make up for you," He said to her with fake surprise. "Noël what?" He asked her.

"Just Noël," Farrah told him as she smiled at the bartender as he created her drinks.

"They don't have last names in your world?" He asked her.

"This is my world. Noël is my last name," She told him.

"Well, I know for a fact we have first names on this world." He said to her with a smile.

She just shook her head at him and looked away but saw from the corner of her eye as he got up and walked to her side. "So Noël... I can work with that!" He told her with a smirk.

"Did you know Noël in French means Christmas?" He said to her with a smirk.

"I'm afraid I did know that Jim," She said to him and he found he liked the way his name sounded coming from her lips.

"Well I know some gifts we could give each other," He said to her in a seductive tone as she turned around to lean her back against the bar and faced him.

"Wow, that's a nice one," She told him in a sarcastic tone. "For a moment there I thought you were just some dumb hick who only has sex with farm animals."

"Well, not only," He replied smirking making her laugh at him as she saw one of the male cadets coming over to them.

"This townie isn't bothering you right?" He asked coming up behind Jim.

"Oh, beyond belief. But it's nothing I can't handle." Farrah told him turning around to the bar counter as the bartender set down her shot of jack; she picked it up and downed it before setting the empty glass on the table.

"You could handle me. If that's an invitation," Jim said to her with a smirk ignoring the cadet.

"Hey! You better mind your manners," The cadet said to him in her defense, even though she didn't know him. He was probably only doing this because they all knew who her father was and who he was friends with, hoping she'd put in a good word for them.

"Relax cupcake. It was a joke," Kirk said to the man now dubbed "cupcake" while putting a hand in his arm making him belligerent.

"Hey, farm boy. Maybe you can't count, but there are four of us and one of you," He said turning Kirk back around and shoving him up against the bar while Farrah eyed the other three cadets behind him that hadn't been there a second ago.

"So get some more guys and it'll be an even fight," Kirk said to him smirking and then patting his cheek a few times before turning around.

"Cupcake" pulled Kirk back around and punched him in the face sending him into the bar counter and breaking a few of the glasses.

"Stop it!" Farrah yelled at them turning to Jim and putting a hand on his shoulder to see if he was okay.

Jim got back up and turned around kicking "cupcake" in the stomach sending him flying back landing on a table breaking it down.

One of the other cadets joined in the fight and started throwing punches at Kirk before he was thrown in a table like "cupcake" then the other two joined in the fight punching Jim across the face sending him flying towards the bar with arms raised landing on Farrah's breasts.

They stared at each other wide-eyed for a few seconds until Farrah raised her arms and shoved Kirk away from her and into the arms of one of the cadets who then punched him in the face towards another cadet who wrapped his arms around Jim as a third started punching him in the stomach.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Farrah yelled at them but they didn't listen as the crowed oohed while watching, some even videotaping.

Jim reached behind him and grabbed a champagne bottle from the table hitting it over the cadet's head knocking him out.

"Enough!" Farrah yelled coming closer to them.

Again they didn't listen continuing to throw punches at each other until one of them picked Jim up by his jacket and slammed him on top of a table and punched him in the face some more.

Farrah had had enough of standing on the sidelines and pulled her heels off of her feet looking up seeing Nyota in the crowd shaking her head at her knowing what she was about to do. Farrah ignored her and ran up behind the cadet punching Kirk and jumped on his back as he tried to fling her off. "He's had enough!" She yelled at him.

Suddenly a loud familiar to her whistle went through the bar and the cadet stopped what he was doing while Farrah jumped off his back to stare at Captain Pike like everyone else and then standing at attention while he looked around the bar with his gaze lingering disapprovingly on her the longest.

"Outside, all of you," He said into the room calmly and his words were followed without any hesitation by all the cadets in the room muttering "Yes, Sir!"

As everyone began shuffling out Farrah stared at her father in embarrassment and shock. He wasn't even supposed to be here she believed he would be at the ship yard all night.

He looked away from her and to Jim as he lay upside down on the table. "You alright son?"

"You can whistle really loud you know that?" He said in reply with a dazed voice.

As the last people filed out of the bar Farrah turned around to the bar and picked up her shoes slipping them on and walking up to her father.

"Captain," She said to him.

"Wait outside for me," Was his only reply.

She nodded and then walked out of the bar and leaned against the building while most of the others left for their hotels.


	5. Chapter 5

_ A/N_

_I have updated twice a day in the beginning of this story just to get it really going, but I am sad to say I wont be able to do so anymore! But you should get an update once a day!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah! :)_

* * *

About ten minutes later, everyone else who wasn't a cadet had left the bar it being around two in the morning and the bar was closing. As well as everyone needed to be up early to catch the shuttles back to the academy. Farrah was left outside waiting for her father to come and scold her. She had considered leaving with Nyota but knew she should just deal with it right away.

She heard the door open and turned to look seeing her father coming out of the bar.

"How is he?" She asked him looking behind him at the closing door.

"Beat up," He told her the obvious. "He's getting cleaned up in the bathroom," He explained to her.

"Look, dad I'm nineteen not twelve. I can go to a bar with my friends if I want to," She said to him in her defense.

"Yeah, your right. But you can't get into bar fights," He said to her and seeing her embarrassed look he continued. "Yeah, I saw you jump on that guys back. And there was glass on the floor you could have been hurt," He reminded her of the champagne bottle Jim had broken on the guy's head.

"I'm an idiot I get it. I just wanted to help. He looked like he had had enough." She said to him with conviction and bringing up the memory of Jims bloodied face being punched by the cadets.

"Yeah, he sure did..." He replied nodding his head in agreement. "You catch his name?" Christopher questioned her.

"Yeah I did. And you're not gonna believe who he is," She said to him with a small smirk.

"Who?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"He said his name is Jim, Jim Kirk," She said to him with a full blown smile at the look of surprise on her fathers face.

"Kirk?" He repeated her with a look of disbelief on his face.

"That's what he said," Farrah told him nodding.

"Hmm..." He mumbled pulling out a data pad from his pocket.

He typed in some things and brought up a file, Farrah came up behind him to get a look but he hid it in his chest. "You're not allowed to see personal files," He reminded her.

"Oh come on!" She said to him in a pleading tone while pouting.

"Sorry, rules are rules," Was his only reply as he turned away from her and looked at the data pad, scrolling through the information on James Tiberius Kirk.

"You're just trying to teach me a lesson." Farrah mumbled but she was ignored other then a small smile on Christophers face that she couldnt see, as his back was turned to her.

* * *

A few minutes later, Christopher switched off the data pad and turned to go back inside the bar to speak with Jim. The information in the data pad convincing him that he was indeed George Kirk's son. Farrah moved to follow him but Christopher turned and gave her a look that said to stay right where she was.

"Ugh!" She grunted in frustration but held up her hands in surrender then backed away from him.

She watched as her father walked inside the bar and counted to sixty before she slowly opened up the door thankful it wasn't squeaky. She peaked inside seeing her father and Jim sitting at a table staring each other down. She took a moment to study Jim wincing slightly at his bloodied face with hat looked like two napkins stuck up his nose.

She couldn't help but feel slightly guilty, she was the cause of those injuries but Jim wouldn't back off and the cadets had no business coming to her defense. They would not be getting a good word from her to her father, no one would. She didn't want people being nice to her just because she was a Pike but she had no control over what people did.

Plus she found she kind of liked Jim. His attempts at flirting with her had made her laugh, and although they were interrupted she would have like to continue talking to him. But she also knew he was probably not interested in just talking with her.

She pulled off her shoes so they wouldn't make a sound and walked further inside the bar and away from the door keeping behind the wall to listen to her father's conversation. She couldn't help it, she was curious about this Jim Kirk.

"You know, I couldn't believe it when I was told who you are," She heard her dad say to him.

"And who am I, Captain Pike?" Kirk replied to him.

"Your father's son," Christopher answered him.

"Can I get another one?" She heard Kirk call, probably another beer she thought.

"For my dissertation I was assigned the U.S.S Kelvin. Something I admired about your dad, he didn't believe in any no-win scenarios," Christopher said to him.

"Sure learned his lesson," Kirk replied sarcastically.

"Well, it depends on how you define winning. You're here, aren't ya?" Christopher said to him. "You know, that instinct to leap without looking, that was his nature too. And in my opinion, it's something Starfleet's lost," He admitted to Jim.

"Why are you talking to me man?" Kirk said to him and she couldn't help but wonder the same, what did her father see in him that she didn't. At least what she didn't see yet.

"Cause I looked up you're file while you were drooling on the floor. Your aptitude tests are off the charts. So what is it? You like being the only genius-level repeat-offender in the Midwest?" Her father said to him as she inched further into the room but still staying out of sight. So Jim was a genius, who would have guessed? What the heck was he doing in a bar like this then? she wondered.

"Maybe I love it," Kirk replied smirking through his bloodied face.

"So your dad dies. You can settle for a less-than-ordinary life. Or do you feel like you were meant for something better? Something special," Her father said to Kirk and she couldn't help but smile, that was what she had told him when she wanted to join Starfleet. It had closed their argument.

"Enlist in Starfleet." He said to Jim with a convincing tone.

"'Enlist?'" Kirk repeated him with a laugh at the end. "You guys must be way down in your recruiting quota for the month."

"If you're half the man your father was, Jim, Starfleet could use you. You can be an officer in four years. You can have your own ship in eight. You understand what the Federation is don't you? It's important. It's a peacekeeping and humanitarian armada..." Her father said to him not fazed by his laughter.

"Are we done?" Kirk interrupted him.

"I'm done," Her father said standing up as Kirk took another drink. "Riverside Shipyard. Shuttle for new recruit's leaves tomorrow, 0800." He said to Kirk so he would no where and when to go.

"Now, your father was captain of a starship for 12 minutes. He saved 800 lives, including your mothers. And yours. I dare you to do better," Christopher said to him while staring him down, asking him to go against this.

Finally he looked away from Jim and Farrah backed behind the wall again watching as her father left the bar.

As she heard the door close she turned her attention back to Jim watching as he looked down at the table in thought. Her father had his input; it was time for her to give her penny.

"The Captain is an excellent judge of character," She said to him making him look up at her.

"Hey! What are you still doing here?" He questioned her but she ignored him.

"If he sees something in you, like he so obviously does... It means there's something there." Farrah said looking at him with a soft smile and staring him in the eye and he couldn't help but compare this cadet Noël's stare to Captain Pike's, it was the kind that seemed to reach deep within ad see your soul.

Jim tried to hold her gaze, one filled with knowing before he looked away from her at the table to pull himself together and then back up at her again. "So, are you going to tell me your first name?" He said with a smirk.

"Nope. I'll tell you in four years," She said to him with a teasing smirk.

"I might just hold you to that," He replied to her with a nod.

"You should. See you around Jim," Farrah said to him with a small smile before she left the bar and James Kirk with his thoughts, of Starfleet and a certain blonde cadet.

* * *

The next morning, Farrah stood outside the shuttle beside her father waiting for two people. Nyota was already seated saving her a spot beside her.

She looked up as someone walked closer to the shuttle and it was none other than a certain doctor fried of hers.

"Lenny!" She shouted out to him waving as he got closer to her.

He didn't reply and continued staring at the shuttle with fear.

"It's not so bad! You did it on the way here! Nothing happened!" Farrah reminded him walking over and joining him in step to the shuttle.

"Yeah, what a dumb idea that was. I stayed inside my hotel the entire week! I would have died had you not brought me sustenance," Lenny said gesturing to her.

"Calm down would you. These shuttles are perfectly safe, they hardly ever crash," She said trying to quench his fears.

Leonard "Lenny" McCoy just turned his head in her direction and gave her an 'are you kidding me?' look.

"Sorry," Farrah whispered to him knowing what she was saying was not helping him.

Leonard turned away from her and took a deep breath before basically running up the shuttle steps and turning left. Farrah sighed before following him inside.

"Lenny, the seats are to the right not left," Farrah reminded him as she watched him walk away ignoring her.

Leonard kept walking until he came to the bathroom and opened up the door just as Farrah came outside the door he closed it in her face turning the "unoccupied" sign to "occupied"

"Your using the bathroom. Sorry... Had a blonde moment there as they said in the old days," Farrah said to herself before apologizing again to him and turning away.

"I am not using the bathroom! This happens to be the only seat in the entire shuttle without windows," Lenny called out to her through the bathroom door.

"They check the bathrooms before flight. Your going to be kicked out," Farrah explained, reminding him when he had tried the same thing on the way here and was kicked out of the bathroom by an officer and made to sit in a seat forcfully.

"I'm a doctor. I'll show them my credentials and tell them I suffer from aviaphobia," Lenny said to her while pulling out his credentials from his pocket.

"Alright. Don't say I didn't warn you," Farrah told him walking away from the door and back outside to her father who gave her a questioning look.

"Don't ask," She told him with a shake of her head.

They turned around together when they heard the sound of a Motorcycle pulling in and watched as Jim Kirk wearing the same clothes from the night before, his shirt with dried blood still on it and parked in front of them.

"Nice ride man!" One of the workers shouted.

"It's yours!" Kirk told him tossing him the keys before turning to Captain Pike.

"Four years? I'll do it in three." Kirk told him before turning looking at Farrah and winking at her quickly then turning away and walking up the shuttle steps.

Christopher turned and smirked at his daughter before she smiled at him and walked inside the shuttle after Jim. Farrah came up behind him and stifled her laughter as Jim banged his head against a metal beam that said 'low clearance'. Farrah watched him go and sit down then walked past him to her seat beside Nyota who smiled at her in greeting.

"So, four years? How about when I graduate I get that first name. Three years from now," Kirk said to her with a smile.

"If you graduate," Farrah said to him with a smirk.

"When I graduate," Jim corrected her.

"You need a doctor." They heard a female voice say.

Everyone turned to look as Leonard was ushered to the seats by a female officer. "I told you people, I don't need a doctor, damn it, I am a doctor!" He shouted.

"You need to get back to your seat," The officer said to him calmly though he was starting to get on her nerves.

"I had one in the bathroom with no windows!" He shouted at her.

"You need to get back to your seat now!" The officer yelled at him.

"I suffer from aviaphobia. It means fear of dying in something that flies." He yelled at the officer while gesturing around the shuttle.

"Sir, for your own safety, sit down, or else I'll make you sit down!" The woman threatened him.

He just stared at her before nodding seeing she was serious and sitting down beside Jim. "Fine," he muttered.

"Thank you," the officer said to him.

_"This is Captain Pike. We've been cleared for takeoff."_ Her father's voice came over the comm.

"I told you," Farrah said to him from her seat with a satisfied smirk. Lenny just glared at her in return for her words.

Leonard looked across the shuttle at his friend. She had been right that afternoon when she told him they would be seeing a lot of each other. The next week she came in again, this time with a twisted ankle. Then a few days later a broken finger. It seemed she had trouble not injuring herself, but in that time the two of them formed a friendship. One so well-formed that Farrah had somehow managed to convince him to come with her to Iowa to get away from the wife, well ex-wife now that there divorce had been finalized. He'd had to leave the state just to get away from her, apparently she owned the planet too. Farrah told him to join Starfleet, he wasn't sure how she did it, something about facing up to your fears. But the next thing he knew he did the admission exams and got the letter saying he had been accepted.

Sighing her turned away from basically his only friend in the academy and to the man next to him that he notic looked like he had just been beat up not 5 hours ago. And being the physician he was, knew he as correct. Instead of commenting on that though. He commented on his own feelings. "I may throw up on you."

"I think these things are pretty safe." Jim said to him in reply.

"Don't pander to me, kid. One tiny crack in the hull and our blood boils in 13 seconds. A solar flare might crop up, cook us in our seats. And wait till you're sitting pretty with a case of Andorian Shingles. See if your still so relaxed when your eyeballs are bleeding. Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence." McCoy rambled on to him as the shuttle lifted off the base.

Kirk looked around awkwardly not sure what to say, that last line was a bit insightful, but the stuff about the eyeballs was not giving him any confidence.

"Lenny! Stop! Your freaking me out!" Farrah called out to him

"You should be freaked out!" Was his shouting reply.

Jim looked between the two of them feeling just a small amount of jealousy that the two of them appeared to know each other. "Well, I hate to break this to you, but Starfleet operates in space," Jim told him.

"Yeah well, the ex-wife took the whole damn planet in the divorce. All I got left is my bones." He said taking a sip out of a silver flask.

"Oh how is Sara?" Farrah asked him.

"It's Mara. And she's a bitch." McCoy corrected her.

"That's what I said!" Farrah reminded him of the time she and Mara had met.

Farrah had come into the med center with a fractured rib, she had made Lenny her go to Doctor as he was her friend and would wait till he could see her rather than go to the other Doctors. But she had taken off her shirt and been left in only her bra as Lenny had scanned her ribs seeing a small fracture. She was just about to put her shirt back on when Mara came inside the room, flinging the curtain open like she owned the place and assumed that Farrah and Lenny were sleeping together. They most certainly weren't and would not, viewing each other like a sibling would a brother or sister but Mara had freaked out and called him a cheater, even though they were in the process of a divorce. Farrah had pointed it out and Mara told her that they were still technically married and that she was a "home wrecker". What Lenny had ever seen in her was a huge mystery.

McCoy held out his flask in Farrah's direction but she shook her head and turned away from him so instead he offered it to Kirk who drank from it himself, even though he felt hungover from last night.

"Jim Kirk." He introduced himself as he handed back the flask.

"McCoy. Leonard McCoy." He replied back taking another sip of the alcohol.

* * *

_Does anybody else just love McCoy? I just love writing about him. I also love Kirk, and Spock.. and everybody but still! _


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah. :)_

_Holy crap! So many people have followed and favorited this story, and its only been 3 days! And all of your reviews have just blown me away! Those three things keep me motivated in writing this so thank you so much! I appreciate them so much!_

_Is there going to be a sequel for Into Darkness in 2016? I knew there was probably going to be a sequel to it, but has it been announced!? If so, 3 years! I don't think I can wait that long, but I will try!_

* * *

**3 years later.**

The _Narada_, a Romulan civilian mining vessel under the command of Nero flew through the stars towards their designated trajectory.

* * *

Inside, Nero laid on a slab staring up at the ceiling. It was almost time, he had waited twenty-five years and his patience was running out.

Suddenly the doors opened and a Romulan man came into the room. "Captain Nero! You've been requested on the Bridge, sir. Ayel says its time," He told Nero.

Nero listened to what the man said and although he did not smile, for he had not smiled in twenty-five years, his lips twitched slightly in satisfaction and his dark eyes somehow became even darker before he sat up and made his way to the bridge.

* * *

"Sir, we've arrived at the coordinates you calculated. There's nothing here," Ayel, Nero's first officer said to him as he walked on the bridge.

"What are your orders?" Ayel asked following his Captain as he walked up the stairs towards the window, where a projection of a spinning green flux centered around a single point.

"We wait...We wait for the one who allowed our home to be destroyed, as we've been doing for 25 years," Nero replied staring out the window and to the spot in space where the one he spoke of would surely appear at any moment.

"And once we've killed him?" Ayel asked Nero wondering what they would do once their revenge had been satisfied.

"Kill him?" Nero repeated turning around from the window and looking at Ayel with a shake of his head. "I'm not gonna kill him. I'm gonna make him watch," He explained with barely contained fury though his voice was level, his fists clenched in anger.

Ayel nodded before their was a rumble and flash of lightning, Nero whipped around back to the window as a dark, black hole began to form and a white ship fell through heading straight for the_ Narada_.

"Capture that ship!" Nero yelled out to his disciples, finally the waiting was over, but his revenge had only just begun.

"Welcome back, Spock." He whispered to himself as his eyes narrowed at the ship.

* * *

On earth in San Francisco at the Starfleet Academy, Leonard McCoy and Jim Kirk exited the building and began walking down the steps in their red cadet uniforms.

"Why are you so happy?" Leonard asked the man who had become his friend ever since they met on the shuttle three years ago.

Kirk laughed and smiled at him, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"No, I don't suppose you do," Leonard replied with a sigh for even asking what he was up to, he should have known he wouldn't get an answer.

Farrah Pike made her way up the same steps to head inside the building to meet her friend Nyota in the lab. She saw Jim Kirk and Lenny walking her way and waved, "Hey Lenny!" She said to him with a big smile on her face.

"Hi." He said to her as he walked past her still annoyed with Jim. She didnt take it personaly, she was used to his stand offish behaviour sometimes, mostly when he was around Kirk.

Leonard knew all about the deal Farrah and Jim had made, so made a point to keep her name a secret from Jim until she told him. Not once did Jim ever ask Leonard what it was, obviously keeping to the challenge of finding out what it was when he graduated.

"Hello there! Is it Julia?" Jim said to Farrah as she passed him but he was ignored other than a shake of the head, although he did catch a faint smile growing on her lips. At least it was something, he thought to himself.

Jim sighed and turned back to Leonard or "Bones" as he had nicknamed him, "I'm taking the test again."

"You gotta be kidding," Leonard said to him in disbelief, he had already failed it twice, wasn't that enough?

"Yeah tomorrow morning, and I want you to wait for me outside," Jim said to him as they walked off the last step.

"You know, I have better things to do then wait around for you to finish a test. Your only going to embarrass yourself on, for a third time might I add. I'm a doctor, Jim. I'm busy," Leonard said to him in exasperation.

"Bones, it doesn't bother you that no ones ever passed the test?" Jim questioned him with a raised eyebrow turning around to face him.

"Jim, it's the _Kobayashi Maru_. No one passes the test. And no one goes back for seconds, let along thirds," Bones replied, answering the question.

"I gotta study," Jim told him with a slap on the shoulder as he walked away from him.

"Study, my ass," Bones mumbled turning away and continuing to his dorm.

* * *

Farrah and Nyota walked inside the room they shared with their Orion friend Gaila. They had both been in the long-range sensor lab, Nyota working on her communications and Farrah studying the tactics of the ships.

In the three years since she had met Jim, she had bettered herself in advanced combat, taking the course again each year. Now after some hard work, and quite a few injuries, many of them broken bones, she was a formidable opponent and knew how to defend herself well. She and Nyota often went to the gym together and sparred, holding nothing back, except not trying to kill each other of course. The academy taught them to subdue an opponent when they could, only killing them if it was truly necessary. Still she had managed to defeat Nyota for the first time two years ago and the feeling of accomplishment only pushed her to do better.

She found herself taking a tactical analysis class each year where she learned she had an affinity to strategize and develop complex plans of actions. She was at the top of that class, and was set to stay that way. Many of her instructors said she would be perfect for the position of the Tactical Officer on a ship, which was perfect for her as she had aimed for that. Among that she also earned her doctorate in applied physics, specializing in advanced weaponry. She had not taken any language classes, other than Nyota trying to teach her some of the things she had learned. Still she could never grasp another language, forgetting the word she had memorized five minutes later. Eventually Nyota gave up on the lessons and Farrah couldn't say she minded.

"Hey," Farrah said to Gaila as she walked over to her bed closest to the door and set her bag down.

"Hi," Nyota said to Gaila from the farthest bed from the door as she did the same.

"Hey guys!" Gaila said to them in an overly enthusiastic voice.

Farrah looked up at her friend seeing her in her bra and underwear basically posing on the bed. She raised an eyebrow at her but only received a smile in return.

"How are you?" Gaila asked them.

"Good. The strangest thing, we were in the long range sensor lab..." Nyota answered her from behind.

"Yeah, I thought all night," Gaila said to them interrupting Nyota.

Farrah looked at her suspiciously but paid her odd behavior no more thought. She sat down on her bed, pulled off her boots and set them down underneath her bed with the other stuff before she stood up again and pulled off her shirt.

"I was tracking solar systems and I picked up an emergency transmission," Nyota continued.

"Really?" Gaila questioned feigning interest.

"Yeah. From a Klingon prison planet," Nyota said to her, Farrah already knowing this having been there.

"No," Gaila said to her trying not to raise suspicion but doing the opposite.

"Yeah!" Nyota replied.

"A Klingon armada was destroyed. Forty-seven ships! Can you believe that? The tactics someone would need to do that is amazing. Apparently it was one massive ship that did it," Farrah added as she unzipped her skirt and pulled it off.

"So you guys aren't going back to the lab tonight?" Gaila questioned them.

Farrah and Nyota both stopped simultaneously and turned around to face each other and shared a knowing look.

"Gaila, who is he?" Nyota questioned Gaila.

"Who's who?" Gaila replied playing dumb.

"The mouth-breather hiding under your bed," Farrah elaborated as Gaila looked over her shoulder and none other than a half-naked Jim Kirk came crawling from underneath it.

"You can hear me breathing?" Jim questioned Farrah with an eyebrow raised, trying to cover for his shock that it was _her_ who was Gaila's roommate.

"James Tiberius Kirk!" Farrah shouted at him, not expecting it to be _him_ underneath the bed.

"I don't find it fair that you know my name but I don't know yours," Jim said to her before she through a pillow at him, "Big day tomorrow," Jim added after dodging her pillow.

"If I pass the _Kobayashi Maru _test tomorrow will you tell me your name?" Jim asked her with a smile.

"No one passes the test," Farrah reminded him, "Besides you've failed twice already."

"But say I do pass? Then you'll tell me your name?" Jim asked her again.

Farrah rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine you pass the test, which you won't. I'll tell you my name," Farrah relented to him.

"I'm gonna pass," Jim told her with a satisfied smirk.

"You're gonna fail. Get out," Farrah said to him picking up his clothes from the floor and shoving them into his hands.

"Gaila, see you around," Kirk said to the green woman on the bed quickly who waved goodbye to him as Farrah shoved him to the door.

"If I pass, you're gonna have to tell me your first name, remember that!" He said pointing a finger at her.

"Goodbye. And Goodnight!" She said giving him one last shove towards the door.

"I think the fact that you notice the tactics to destroy Klingon ships is very interesting," Jim told her as she closed the door in his face with a smirk.

* * *

"We are receiving a distress signal from the_ U.S.S Kobayashi Maru_. The ship has lost power and is stranded. Starfleet Command has ordered us to rescue them," Nyota said to Jim from her spot in the communications chair with zero enthusiasm towards him after last night.

"Starfleet Command has ordered us to rescue them, _captain_," Kirk repeated adding the word captain from the captain's chair as Nyota ignored him and looked away.

"Two Klingon vessels have entered the Neutral Zone and are locking weapons on us," Farrah announced from her spot at the tactical station.

"That's okay," Jim replied smiling to himself.

"'That's okay?'" She repeated as she turned to look at him like he was stupid.

"Yeah don't worry about it," Jim replied with same smile from before sent at her.

"Did he say that's okay?" An instructor in the viewing room asked another.

"Is he not taking the simulation seriously?" The other one added looking down at Jim Kirk in disbelief.

"Three more Klingon war birds de-cloaking and targeting our ship," Farrah said to Jim turning back around and reading from her screen, "I don't suppose this is a problem now either is it?" Farrah said to him in a mocking tone.

"They're firing, Captain," Another cadet announced from her left.

"Alert Medical Bay to prepare to receive all crew members from the damaged ship," Kirk said in Nyota's direction as she turned around in her chair to him.

"And how do you expect us to rescue them when we're surrounded by Klingons...Captain?" Nyota replied pointing out the window where the fake Klingon ships were flying around them as he leaned in her direction.

"Alert Medical," He said again.

Nyota huffed and turned around to do as he asked.

"Our ship is being hit. Shields at 60%," Farrah announced looking up quickly as the fake Klingon war birds fired at the ship and an alarm sounded.

"I understand," Kirk replied nodding at her.

"Well, should we, Gee I don't know, fire back?" She asked turning around and seeing him now eating an apple.

"No," Jim told her before taking a bite.

"Of course not, because that would be stupid," She replied turning back to her screens.

Suddenly everything in the simulation turned off save for the emergency lights and the screens started glitching before they came back online.

"What is this? Whats going on?" An instructor asked above them to the people surrounding him controlling the simulation.

"Hmm...Arm photons. Prepare to fire on the Klingon war birds," Jim said to Farrah while still eating his apple.

"Captain. There shields are still up," She said to him without looking at her screens again.

"Are they?" He asked her with fake skepticism.

She blinked and turned around looking at her station and seeing he was right, there shields had come down, "No. They're not," She announced in surprise.

"Fire in all enemy ships!" Kirk called out.

Farrah nodded and set the trajectories for the photons on the ships.

"One photon each should do. Let's not waste ammunition," Jim said to her as he chewed his apple.

"Target locked and acquired on all war birds. Firing," She announced and looked up watching the photons as they destroyed the ships on the screen.

"All ships destroyed, Captain," She announced in a small voice, shocked that the plan of his had worked.

"Begin rescue of the stranded crew," Jim called out to them before standing up, "So! We've managed to eliminate all enemy ships, no one on board was injured, and the successful rescue of the _Kobayashi Maru_ crew is underway," He announced taking another bite of his apple and looking up at the instructors above.

"How the hell did that kid beat your test?" One of the instructors asked looking away from the simulation room and to a Vulcan instructor.

"I do not know," He replied in a level voice just as confused, though he wouldn't show it.

* * *

The doors to the simulation opened and everyone in the room stood up from their stations and walked outside the door.

Jim looked out in the hallway for Bones finding him nowhere in sight, he didn't expect him to be. He knew his friend, probably his best friend, was a doctor and had other things to do, better things to do, but he couldn't help but want to gloat that he had passed the test.

That was when he remembered the night before and what cadet Noël had said she would tell him if he passed. Obviously she hadn't believed he would have. However Jim liked to do the impossible, and done the impossible he had, making it now possible he thought with a satisfied smirk.

He looked up at the cadet in question as she came out of the room and smiled widely before walking towards her.

"How did you do it? No one passes that test," Farrah said to him in confusion crossing her arms.

"Well everyone but me. Now about our deal," Jim said to her but she interrupted him.

"You cheated didn't you," She guessed looking at him in frustration.

"A deals a deal," Jim said to her.

"Alright fine. It's Farrah," She told him effectively ending their little game.

"Farrah. I like that," Jim told her with a smile. "So, Farrah. Wanna go have a celebratory drink? Or we could skip the drink. I know a different way we could celebrate in my room," He said to her with a suggestive look.

"I don't think so," She told him before turning and walking away from him.

"Why not!" Jim called out after her but she didn't turn around to answer.

She knew why, she wasn't looking for a one night stand. She'd had a few of those in her life but wanted something meaningful. Something she knew Jim wasn't looking for.

Still, she couldn't help but feel a little bit sad that their little name game was now over. Every time he saw her he would always try to guess her name. He never got it right of course, but she would smile at him every time he got it wrong.

It was one day, when she was sitting at the coffee shop in the Academy and he had sat across from her that things changed...

* * *

_Farrah Pike sat in the Starfleet Academy coffee shop reading off her data pad studying for a test. She would usually be in her dorm room doing this but Gaila had brought another guy back to the room so she left, Nyota was in a lab so wasn't there to back her up in kicking the guy out ._

_Farrah knew it wasn't either parties fault, she knew enough about Orion physiology to know that the women of their race emitted a potent pheromone that was hard to resist for any man, even some of the women were attracted to it._

_She had just started her next chapter when none other than Jim Kirk sat down across from her. She looked up at him as he put his hands on the table and tilted his head at her._

_"Is it Anna?" He asked her and when she didn't say anything he continued._

_"No. Alright. Abigail?" Again she didn't respond so he kept firing out names until he got a response from her._

_"Sara?"_

_"Emma?"_

_"Mia?"_

_"Allison?"_

_"Come on! At least tell me hot and cold," He said to her but she just stared back at him so he continued._

_"Holly?"_

_"Alex?"_

_"Eva?"_

_"Lauren?"_

_"Lydia?"_

_"I know! It's Rumpelstiltskin. I can't believe I haven't thought of it before," Jim said to her slapping the table making a few of the other people inside the coffee shop look over at them. Farrah looked up at him again at the noise and saw the serious look on his face, making him look like he truly believed that was her name._

_Farrah couldn't help it and her face broke out in a smile until she laughed at his antics before his serious face broke out in a smile and then laughter of his own._

_"Alright enough guesses for today. So what are you reading?" He asked her looking down at her data-pad._

_She turned it around so he could look at the name, "Advanced Weaponry :Year 3"_

_"Advanced Weaponry? That's pretty heavy stuff. What's your favorite weapon?" Jim asked her as their laughter died down looking genuinely interested._

_"Polaron Torpedoes would have to be one of my favorites," Farrah answered him with a smile._

_"No way! The Quantum Torpedoes are way better!" Jim argued with her._

_"I don't think so! Polaron Torpedoes can penetrate normal shielding with ease," Farrah defended her choice._

_"Yeah but Quantum Torpedoes are way more powerful," Jim argued back._

_"You're only saying that because it has the word "Quantum" in it," She said to him with a small smile and shake of her head._

_"Alright, so I know nothing about advanced weapons. That's your job," Jim relented admitting that he knew very little about it._

_"Your right it is my job," Farrah said to him in satisfaction._

_"You could tell me more about them then. Help me learn," Jim said to her with a smile._

_She just shook her head at him but did as he asked, they spent the next hour sitting at that table while she told him about her favorite weapons and he listened, hanging on to every word, even the ones he didn't understand..._

* * *

Farrah was pulled out of her thoughts when she almost walked straight into a wall she hadn't been paying attention too, so lost in her memory was she.

Little did she know, behind her Jim Kirk had thought of the same memory and felt the same disappointment she did knowing that he wouldn't have that game to keep him on his toes any longer. He sighed before going in the opposite direction to find Bones and tell him of the good news.


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to! I only own my OC Farrah! :) _

_Thanks to all who reviewed! Glad you liked the little flashback/memory I added. And Jim doesn't know Farrah is Pikes daughter... So I guess he is in for a shocker. I think I explain a bit as to why he, and some people don't know her true last name in this chapter. I will most certainly touch more on it though._

* * *

The next morning after the test, Farrah was on her way to the library when a voice came over the intercom.

_"All fourth year students please make your way to the assembly hall."_

She sighed wondering what this could be about, and turned around to go back the way she came.

* * *

As she neared the doors to the assembly hall she heard her name being called. "Farrah!"

She turned around seeing her best friend Nyota Uhura coming up behind her. "Hey!" She greeted as they fell in step with each other.

"Any idea why they called us here?" Farrah asked Nyota, for more reasons than one.

She knew all about Nyota and the Vulcan Spock's relationship, they had their troubles, what with Spock being a half human-half Vulcan, he had to hide his emotions and had trouble expressing them. Something Nyota had trouble dealing with, as she was fully human and expressed hers without holding back.

She had told Spock she loved him and he hadn't said anything back to her, she had run to Farrah in tears and told her all about there secret relationship, seeking comfort and advice. Farrah was pretty shocked to say the least. She had never met the Vulcan commander, seeing him only in passing. But from that he always seemed so, Vulcany... Emotionless to everything around him, using logic only to get through life.

She hadn't even known he was half human until Nyota told her. She was so angry at him for hurting her friend she said she was going to go try the new techniques she had learned in her combat class that day on him. That was when Nyota had reminded her that he would probably use the Vulcan nerve-pinch on her, not so subtly letting her know she would be pummeled, and possibly expelled.

He was one of the academy's most distinguished graduates and even though she knew Admiral Marcus, and who her father being who he was, she couldn't be sure that was enough to save her from being kicked out.

"Nope, I didn't see him last night, or this morning," Nyota answered her question guessing where her thoughts had gone.

"I wonder what it could be," Farrah mused to herself, though she had a pretty good idea.

The test yesterday that Jim had passed by some miracle didn't seem like a miracle at all. She had called him out on her idea that he cheated, and he didn't deny it. If she could figure it out, then most likely the instructors could as well.

They walked inside the lower part of the assembly hall with their fellow fourth year cadets, all of them noticing the fifteen chairs filled by the Academy board in their grey uniforms patiently waiting for everyone to take their seats and be quiet.

Once everyone had settled down, Admiral Richard Barnett leaned forewords slightly towards his microphone, "This session has been called to resolve a troubling matter. James T. Kirk, step forward," He announced to the room as everyone turned to look at Jim whose face held some surprise at being called up as he sat beside Bones.

"Cadet Kirk, evidence has been submitted to this council," The Admiral continued as Jim looked at Bones before standing up and making his face down to the podium set up, "Suggesting that you have violated the ethical code of conduct pursuant to Regulation 1,7. 4,3 of the Starfleet code. Is there anything you care to say before we begin, sir?"

Jim looked away from the Admiral and to the gathered students all watching him like a hawks, all quite so they wouldn't miss anything. He took a deep breath before answering, "Yes, I believe I have the right to face my accuser directly,"

The Admiral nodded looking up in the stands, Jim following his gaze to find out who the accuser was. "Step forward, please," The admiral called up to thestands and a man in grey stood up from his aisle seat, before making his way down to the other podium.

The first thing that Jim Kirk noticed about him was his ears, that were pointed at the tips, a sign he was not human, most likely Vulcan, the straight cut hair confirming his suspicions, "This is Commander Spock. He is one of our most distinguished graduates," Barnett introduced him.

"He's programmed the _Kobayashi Maru _exam for the last four years," The admiral continued as Jim eyes his accuser, knowing he would have trouble winning this argument if he was against a Vulcan.

"Commander?" Admiral nodded to Spock signaling him to begin.

"Cadet Kirk, you somehow managed to install and activate a subroutine in the programming code, thereby changing the conditions of the test," Spock spoke to the room explaining exactly what Jim had done.

"Your point being?" Jim questioned him.

"In academic vernacular, you cheated," Barnett elaborated for him and the room that suddenly erupted in to low whispers, not low enough though, as Jim could hear them loud and clear.

"Let me ask you something I think we all know the answer to," Jim started up, although he knew he would have trouble winning this argument, it didn't mean he wouldn't try. Doing the impossible and making it possible was what Jim did best after all.

"The test itself is a cheat, isn't it?" He questioned the Vulcan, "I mean you programmed it to be un-winnable,"

"Your argument precludes the possibility of a no-win scenario," Spock calmly replied his hands behind his back as the hall went silent again.

"I don't believe in no-win scenarios," Jim told him and the rest of the people listening in.

"Then not only did you violate the rules, you also failed to understand the principle lesson," Spock told him pausing at the end to see if possibly James T. Kirk would understand what that lesson was.

"Please, enlighten me," Apparently not.

"You of all people should know, Cadet Kirk, a captain cannot cheat death," Spock said turning his head to look at him as Kirk leaned on his podium but shifted in his direction.

More whispers filled the room and some people even oohed, Farrah Pike could only gawk at Spock, the man she knew her best friend loved deeply. She could see what Spock was aiming towards, and having lost her mother, could sympathize with Jim's pain of losing his father. She knew she would not appreciate what Spock was about to do anymore than Kirk would.

Jim looked at the cadets in the stands from the corner of his eye before his throat started to feel closed up with the emotion he felt from his father's death. He looked away from everyone around the room to stare at the podium, something he did when trying to shield himself from the hurt he felt.

Although he had never met his father, only having his uncle Frank, who used to verbally and physically abuse him when his mother went off planet as an example, he loved his father and saw the honor in his sacrifice. The sacrifice that saved himself and his mother from certain death, but he often wondered what his life would have been like had his father survived.

"I of all people?" He questioned Spock only a second later.

"Your father, Lieutenant George Kirk assumed command of his vessel before being killed in action, did he not?" Spock elaborated on what he was getting at, though Kirk already knew where he had been going.

"I don't think you like the fact that I beat your test," Jim replied trying to get a rise out of the Vulcan.

"Furthermore, you have failed to divine the purpose of the test," Spock continued unfazed by Kirk's attempt to get a rise of emotion from him.

"Enlighten me again," Jim replied.

"The purpose is to experience fear," Spock told him calmly, "Fear in the face of certain death. To accept that fear, and maintain control of oneself and one's crew. This is a quality expected in every Starfleet captain," Spock explained to him as Jim looked away and down at the podium once again.

Before he could reply however, the doors to the hall slid open and a commander walked up to Admiral Barnett muttering, "Excuse me, sir," and handing him a data pad.

Barnett nodded and took the data pad from his hands scanning through the information quickly before addressing the room, "We've received a distress call from Vulcan," He announced making Spock whip his head around from James Kirk and back to the Admiral.

"With our primary fleet engaged in the_ Laurentian system_, I hereby order all cadets to report to Hanger One immediately. Dismissed," He instructed and immediately all the cadets in the room stood up at the last word walking orderly out of the hall.

Leonard McCoy walked up behind Jim as he watched the Vulcan leave, turning to Bones in question, "Who was that pointy-eared bastard?"

"I don't know, but I like him," Bones replied with a pointed look in Kirks direction, of course he would Jim thought as he looked at his friend in disbelief before following him to Hanger One.

* * *

"Fugeman, Regula One! Gerace, U.S.S Farragut! McCoy, U.S.S Enterprise! McGrath, U.S.S Wolcott! Rader, U.S.S Hood. Welcome to Starfleet, and Godspeed," A male commander listed off the assembled cadets in front of him who walked off to their assigned ships, all but two of them.

"He didn't call my name," Jim said to McCoy before quickly walking after the Commander while calling out, "Commander? Sir, you didn't call my name. Kirk, James T," He said to him as he walked up to a control panel.

"Kirk, you're on academic suspension. That means you're grounded until the Academy Board rules," The Commander replied before he walked off.

"Jim, the Board will rule in your favor," Leonard said to his friend before looking away thinking about what he'd said, "Most likely," He added.

Leonard sighed before turning to his friend with an apologetic look, "Look Jim, I gotta go," He told him.

Jim nodded and turned around with a small smile holding out his hand for his friend, "Yeah. Yeah, you go. Be safe," He told him.

Leonard nodded shaking his hand before they let go and he turned around to head to the _Enterprise_, he had to keep walking, just keep walking, don't look back he told himself but the next thing he knew his feet were stopping and he turned around, "Damn it," He mumbled to himself.

He looked behind him seeing Jim standing there with his back turned to him looking lost, why couldn't he be emotionless and think logically like that green-blooded hob-goblin he wondered to himself as he stalked back to Jim, cursing his body for making him look back and seeing his friend all pathetic looking, in turn causing him to do something he was very much not supposed to do.

"Come with me," Leonard said to Jim grabbing his arm and pulling him away from his pathetic standing around.

* * *

Farrah Pike stood in a clump of nine other cadets, well Lieutenants now as they had technically graduated, two of them being her roommates and most of them ones she had come to know in her time at the academy.

"All right, listen up! I'm gonna read this list one time, and one time only!" The Commander assigning them to there ships called out.

The names sort of blurred together, she was only listening for the ones her friends would be assigned to so started listening even more when she came to her friend's name, "Bryton, U.S.S. Newton! Uhura, U.S.S. Farragut! Pike, U.S.S Enterprise! Petrovosky, U.S.S Antares! Go to your stations and good luck," She told them before walking away.

Gaila who stood in front of Farrah and Nyota smiling widely at her assignment, only receiving a dour expression from Nyota and an apprehensive one from Farrah.

Nyota stalked off, scanning the crowds looking for a certain Vulcan.

"Commander, a word?" Nyota asked Spock funding him at a control panel.

"Yes, Lieutenant?" He replied calmly without looking at her.

"Was I not one of your top students?" Nyota asked him.

"Indeed you were," Spock agreed with her words, as they were true.

"And did I not on multiple occasions demonstrate an exceptional aural sensitivity and, I quote," Nyota argued back following him as he walked away from the control panel, "an unparalleled ability to identify sink anomalies," in sunspace transmissions tests?"

"Consistently, yes," Spock replied turning around to face her.

"And while you were well aware that of own qualified desires to serve on the U.S.S Enterprise," She said to him saying the ships name with barely concealed longing, "I'm assigned to the Farragut?" she questioned saying the name with disdain.

"It was an attempt to avoid the appearance of favoritism," Spock replied looking around them, but seeing no one was paying attention to them.

"No. I'm assigned to the Enterprise," Nyota told him with conviction.

Spock looked at her a moment before looking down at his data pad and punching in some buttons changing her assignment quickly before looking up at her, "Yes, I believe you are," Spock agreed.

"Thank you," Nyota replied pleased with her changed assignment before Spock walked off.

* * *

Farrah walked through the mess of shuttles until she came to the one heading for the _Enterprise_, she took a deep breath, knowing this was it. She had been on the Earth Space dock only once before in her life when she was thirteen, her dad offering her and Magnolia a tour of it.

Then she had been a teen, amazed that she was in space and mystified by the stars. Now she would be going on a Starfleet ship, and away from earth. Not as a civilian passenger but as a Lieutenant and a Tactical Officer at that.

It was frightening to think about, Vulcan wasn't asking them to come to their planet for a visit, no they had called for help sending them a distress signal. She had no idea what awaited her or any of the other cadets, Lieutenants now she corrected still getting used to the idea.

Possibly they could just be having a natural disaster and needed help in the evacuation, or the tactical part of her mind whispered, they could be being attacked by someone and needed help in defending themselves.

It was also exciting, she would be traveling to another planet. It was amazing to think she, Farrah Jade Pike was about to be in space, traveling at warp speed and possibly putting her skills to use.

But was it her skills that had caused her to be assigned to the Enterprise, as the chief Tactical Officer no less, her skills being needed and well warranted. Or was it because her father was the ship's Captain? She often used her mothers maiden name rather than her fathers, people treated her different hen they found out her last name. She wasn't interested in people being nice to her and being her friend because of her name, or others looking at her in disdain, believing she had no right to be in Starfleet, only because she was a Pike. And so whenever possible she wouldn't use it, her instructors had called her Pike in the first year until she asked them to call her by Noël.

It took quite a lot of convincing, but they eventually relented. Still she could not change her name, she was proud to be a Pike. And was still technically Lieutenant Pike, as her birth certificate had it as her last name. It would also be silly to change it, Farrah tried not to run from her problems, but hide from them instead. Which was almost the very same thing.

She would never really know the answer to it, Pikes were born for the stars, so maybe it was her destiny to be in Starfleet, or maybe it was sheer luck. She would show all those who doubted her, herself included that she wasn't there because of her last name, she was there because she was needed. She was Farrah Pike, and she would prove herself to them. With that last thought she stepped up to the shuttle getting scanned by the commander before walking inside getting a window seat and buckling herself in, awaiting the other Lieutenants to board the shuttle before they would finally take off.

* * *

_Wasn't__ really feeling this chapter... It was more of a filler I suppose.. I promise tomorrows will be better. I just didn't have a lot of time to write this one, but wanted to get it up because all of you have been so amazing! So I am trying my hardest to have a new chapter up everyday! _

_Wasn't__ much, Jim/Farrah in this chapter either.. I think they are still working things out for themselves and I don't want to just rush into the romance right away. (But it will be there eventually!) Next chapter should have some Jim/Farrah scenes! (I hope/think)_

_Also.. How do you guys like Farrah's character? I tried to make her likable and realistic. Anything you do or don't like about her?_


	8. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer:I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah :)_

_Thank you for all of your reviews! Glad you all seem to like Farrah!_

_I really tried to balance her out. I didn't want her amazing at everything she did, because no one is like that. But I also didn't want her to be completely daft about everything, because then what the heck is she doing at Starfleet?_

_I liked writing this chapter, I hope you all enjoy reading it!_

* * *

It took McCoy no time at all to find the section of the hanger he sought.

"Bones, where are we going?" Jim questioned his friend as he led him somewhere through the people running around.

"You'll see," Leonard replied tugging him towards the med bay.

"What are you doing?" Jim questioned as the doors to the med bay opened and he followed Bones inside.

"I'm doing you a favor," Bones replied walking over to a sealed cabinet and opening it up to fish through a rack with colored liquids lined up on it, "I couldn't just leave you there, looking all pathetic," He said to him taking a red one from the rack, "take a seat. I'm gonna give you a vaccine against viral infection from the Melvaran mud fleas," Bones told Jim as he sat down on the bed.

He gripped the cylinder of the red liquid between his teeth, as he ripped the packaging off a hypospray, and shoved the cylinder up the open breech. The delivery mechanism automatically activating the contents, which he promptly jammed against his friends neck.

"Ow!What was that for?" Jim questioned him trying to grab at the hypo but Bones had already pulled back.

"To give you the symptoms," Leonard replied as he disposed of the used needle.

"What are you talking about?" Jim questioned him as he started to feel funny.

"You're gonna start to lose vision in your left eye," Bones told him as he went through another cabinet.

Before Bones could finish his explanation, Jim looked around the room, seeing only out of his right eye as his left had gone blurry, "Yeah, I already have," He told Bones squeezing his eyes.

"Oh, and you're gonna get a really bad headache and a flop sweat," Leonard informed him as he walked over and hauled him up from the bed, helping him stand.

"You call this a favor?" Jim said to him sarcastically

"Yeah. You owe me one," Bones replied putting his body underneath his friend's arm and dragging him out of the med bay that was luckily close to the shuttle going to the Enterprise.

Leonard held Jim up by the arm as he seemed to lose feeling in his legs, and his fading cerebral capacity was making it hard for him to control his body, he would have to look into the loss of feeling in the legs, he thought to himself.

They barely made it in time to the shuttle, whether it would be enough remained to be seen. A Klaxon was sounding and the lights on the side of the shuttle indicated it was running through the final countdown procedures before liftoff. Exerting himself from carrying Jim, Leonard heaved them toward the boarding ramp.

The Junior officer who intercepted them had been working non stop, without a break ever since the Red Alert had sounded. He was in no mood for an argument and had no intention of delaying the shuttles departure. He looked at the two officers coming up the ramp, one of them carrying the other who appeared to be severely hung over. Possibly still drunk.

He sighed before pulling out a small object from his breast pocket, scanning the length of the drunk man to figure out who he was, "Kirk, James T. He is not cleared for duty aboard the Enterprise," He said to McCoy.

"Medical code states the treatment and transport of a patient is to be determined at the discretion of his attending physician, which is me," Leonard told the man pointing to himself and looking down at Jim who was becoming very red in the face and sweaty as he groaned.

"So I'm taking Mr. Kirk aboard. Or would you like to explain to Captain Pike why the _Enterprise_ warped into a crisis without one of its senior medical officers?" Leonard asked the man staring him down before looking at Jim who appeared to be getting worse.

The officer hesitated and snuck another look down at his manifest. A new alarm sounded behind him, indicating that departure was imminent. Lowering his head from the doctors glaring, he jerked the stylus he was holding toward the open shuttle doorway, "As you were," The officer agreed eyeing Jim.

"As you were!" Leonard repeated back to the man before turning to Jim, "Come on."

Leonard hauled Jim passed the officer and up the steps of the shuttle, "Been eating more than usual lately, cadet?"

Kirk's cheeks bulged. "I'd appreciate it, Bones, if you didn't mention food for a while."

"Don't worry, any inclination to general nausea is muted by the inflammation of your…," he lowered his voice to a whisper as he continued.

Kirk's eyes widened,"Inflammation of my what?"

"Shut up," McCoy hissed as they neared the top of the ramp, "and keep walking. Try to help me, Jim. Make your legs work."

Head lolling, Kirk goggled up at him. "I have legs?"

Leonard started looking around for a seat when he saw Farrah sitting by herself starring out the window in a three seat line up.

He quickly pulled Jim over to her aisle and put him down in one of the seats startling her as she turned her head and saw him and Jim there.

"Lenny? Your assigned to the Enter..." She trailed off catching sight of Jim sweating and groaning in the aisle seat, "Is he alright?" She asked him with an eyebrow raised at Jim's condition.

"He's fine, nervous flyer," Leonard quickly covered taking his seat beside her before reaching over and buckling Jim in as he seemed to be having trouble with it in his state.

"Are you sure? I would have expected to see you like that not him," Farrah commented looking over at him as he finished buckling Jim in.

Leonard turned and sat down in his seat before turning to look at her in annoyance before she smirked at him, "I'm just teasing you. I know you're over that," She laughed.

Leonard nodded in acceptance before he put on his own seat belt. She was right, he had gotten over his fear. Maybe not completely still feeling nervous, but her idea of "facing your fears" had worked after a few more shuttle rides from the ones in Iowa where he had first met Jim.

Mumbling Jim leaned over to Bones, "I might throw up on you," He said to him repeating the words that Bones had first said to him when they met, really meaning it, but Bones ignored him looking out the window.

The shuttle took off lifting into the sky, clean sunlight flooding the interior through the windows as they went higher and higher climbing through the atmosphere, dark blue sky gave way to violet and then to black.

"Jim, you've got to look at this," Bones said to him and when he didn't respond Leonard turned to him, "Jim, look," He said tugging in his sleeve and looking out the window.

"What?" Jim replied gruffly following his gaze and leaning closer to the window for a better look.

All three of them turned to look out the window, seeing what looked like a city in space, the base thrust out enormous arms that were used in dock and repair facilities for Starships. Unusually, every one of the docks were occupied.

Then the _Enterprise_ came into view which looked much big then the three of them remembered, having seen it in Iowa three years ago, if anything it looked even more amazing now that it was in space, the place it was meant for.

"Wow," Jim whispered in amazement gawking at it.

"Yeah," a feminine voice said and he looked over realizing Farrah had been sitting there the whole time.

If he didn't feel so sick he would have noticed the embarrassment he also felt at realizing she was seeing him like this, all queasy and groaning, but at this moment he could really care less about that.

Farrah couldn't believe what she was seeing when the Enterprise came into view and the shuttle flew over the name on the hull, it was smaller than that of the E in _Enterprise_ that stood out in bold black letters. She felt goose bumps rise up on her skin just looking at the finished product in space, it was truly beautiful and she was going to be inside of it.

She remembered the last time she saw her. She was unfinished, skeletal, with many gaping holes in her sides where the hull had yet to be completed. Still the ship had been striking then, and now she was a thing of beauty.

She couldn't imagine seeing the greyish silver hull marred by burn marks if they were to engage in a fight. She could only imagine how pristine the inside would look, at that thought she turned to look at Jim.

His face was sweaty and his eyes looked dazed, his cheeks even looking a little green. She would hate for him to puke and ruin the perfectness of the ship. But she also found herself worrying about Jim Kirk. A little more than she should be. If she saw a person sitting next to her who was not Jim Kirk, she would have been concerned if they were going to be alright, and then if whatever they had was contagious and she was at risk.

But looking at Jim, she didn't really care if she was going to get sick. She knew what Lenny told her, that Jim was a nervous flyer, had been a lie. A pretty pitiful one at that. But Lenny, Jim's friend and her friend was there with him, a great doctor, and she should know with all the fractures and even a few concussions he had fixed up for her. And besides, if it really was contagious, Lenny wouldn't bring him on board...would he?

Sighing she leaned back in her seat and took a deep breath as they flew underneath the ship and to the open and waiting docking bay where they landed softly and the airlocks came on the doors before everyone stood up and walked out to find their stations.

With one last concerned look at Lenny and Jim she followed the signs to the women's change rooms finding a locker with her name_ F. Pike_ and a gold uniform neatly folded inside of it. She pulled off her cadet uniform tossing it inside her locker before she put the gold shirt on as it fit perfectly ending in her mid thighs over top of her black leggings.

She pulled her hair out of its ponytail before redoing it in a harsh bun that she acknowledged probably looked similar to the one Magnolia had worn every day of her life since she had known the old women. She left the locker room and weaved through hundreds of people until she walked up to the turbo lift and selecting the button to the command center which immediately took of in a smooth motion, not even five seconds later it made a small chime and the doors to the lift opened and she was walking out.

She stopped at the doors to the bridge as her eyes zoned in on the tactical officers chair. Well, it was her chair now she supposed. It was positioned to the right of the Captains chair, but close enough to the window she would have a fairly decent view of any attacking ships from the front. She knew at her station she would have access to all the ships sensors, and the shields, so she didn't really need a very clear view, though it would be beautiful to look at she imagined.

Taking another deep breath, she noticed she had taken a few of those since the distress call from Vulcan came, her nerves ebbing away at her, it was a technique she had always used to calm herself down ever since her mother's death.

Telling herself she deserved to be here she walked across the bridge and took her seat running her hands along the controls, before typing in the command codes to let her access her programming. She smiled softly, feeling some of the nervousness seep away from her from just sitting in the chair. She felt comfortable there, she was in her element, she seemed to have finally found her niche.

Feeling eyes on her she looked up and to her left seeing two men, though one looked younger than the other, he couldn't have been more than 18. They seemed to be waiting for her to do something and she realized she was obviously not who they had expected to see sitting in that chair.

Most likely, an older experienced officer, which she knew there were many of, however they were all with the primary fleet engaged in the Laurentian system, she and her fellow class mates were all they had. And the Enterprise being brand new, this being its maiden voyage, having been pushed up because of the distress call, it was one of the best in the new fleet, possibly _the_ best. And she, being the top student in her tactical class, it was only plausible that she would be assigned here.

* * *

"We need to get you changed," Bones told Jim as he helped him walk through the ship.

"I don't feel right. I feel like I'm leaking," Jim admitted to him.

"Hell, it's that pointy-eared bastard," Leonard said having more alertness and energy then Jim noticing Spock up ahead of them, he turned left before he could notice them just before Spock looked up from the readout he was holding, turned around and walked inside the the turbo lift bringing him up to the bridge where he sat down at his station.

* * *

"Lieutenant Sulu, Hikaru Sulu," The handsome young Helmsman introduced himself to her.

"Ensign Chekov, Pavel Andreievich," The other, younger one introduced himself with a heavy Russian accent before she could reply to the Helmsman.

"Lieutenant Pike, Farrah Pike," She replied smiling widely at him and then to the Helmsman, "Pleasure to meet you Hikaru," Before she turned back to the navigator, "Pleasure to meet you Pavel,"

Pavel gave her a small, somewhat hesitant smile in return, seeming to be shy of her, and they both had noticed her last name, Pike, the same as their Captain, they would have to see for themselves if she had made it to that seat on skill alone, desperation from the current situation, or her name had something to do with it.

"Mr. Spock," Christopher Pike said walking on the bridge and seeing his first officer at his station.

"Captain, engineering reports ready for launch," Spock told him as he walked past in a nonchalant voice suggesting the science officer had uttered the words a thousand times.

"Thank you," Christopher replied before addressing the rest of the bridge, "Ladies and gentleman, the maiden voyage of our newest flagship deserves more pomp and circumstance than we can afford today," Christopher addresses them coming to a stop in front of his chair and quickly looking at his daughter who sat in the Tactical Officers chair, a hint of a smile appearing on his face before continuing on, "Her christening will just have to be our reward for a safe return. Carry on," He told them sitting in his command chair and turning on his comm.

"All decks, this is Captain Pike. Prepare for immediate departure," He announced before turning it off and addressing the helmsman Lieutenant Sulu, "Helm, thrusters."

"Moorings retracted, Captain. Dock control reports ready, Thrusters, fired. Separating from Spacedock," Sulu announced as he pressed the buttons and the Enterprise joined the rest of the fleet in line.

"The fleets cleared Spacedock, Captain, All ships ready for warp," Sulu informed him, turning around in his chair.

"Set course for Vulcan," Christopher said to him.

"Aye-aye, Captain. Course laid in," Sulu told him spinning back around in his chair.

"Maximum warp. Punch it," Christopher told him using his signature words.

Sulu nodded and turned back around "punching" it as the other ships of he fleet took off. The Enterprise only flared up, and did not enter warp, prompting everyone to look at Sulu.

"Lieutenant, where is Helmsman McKenna?" Christopher asked him calmly though a small frown appeared as he leaned his arm on the chair and his chin on his fist.

"He has lungworms, sir. He couldn't report to his post. I'm Hikaru Suku," He explained uneasily, introducing himself nervously to the Captain.

Christopher pursed his lips, "And you are a pilot, right?"He questioned him as he turned around.

"Very much so, sir," Sulu replied with embarrassment turning back around to his station, eyes roving worriedly over the helm console,"I'm not sure what's wrong here," Sulu told him as he pressed buttons on his screen.

"Is the parking brake on?" Christopher questioned him spinning his chair slightly while trying to be nice about it.

"No. I'll figure it out. I'm just..."Sulu replied with a nervous laugh before a voice spoke up from the vicinity of the science station

"Have you disengaged the external inertial dampener?" Commander Spock asked the Lieutenant.

Sulu closed his eyes in embarrassment as he realized he had not done that. Before he quickly punched in the codes and leaning back in his chair, "Ready for warp, sir."

"Let's punch it," Christopher said again as Sulu "punched" it.

This time it worked and the ship was hurtled into warp speed in the wake of the other ships that had left before them to Vulcan.

* * *

Down in the med bay, McCoy half carried a now changed Jim, from his cadet uniform to a long sleeve black shirt and black pants inside as he was still weak and slightly delusional.

"Where are we?" Jim asked him in a shrill voice.

"Medical Bay," McCoy replied walking him towards a bed.

"This isn't worth it," Jim decided as his friend led him to the bed.

"A little sufferings good for the soul," McCoy informed him in reply.

"My mouth is itchy. Is that normal?" Jim questioned him as McCoy seated him on a bed.

"Well, those symptoms won't last long. I'm going to give you a mild sedative," Bones told him while filling up a hypospray with the medicine.

"I wish I didn't know you," Jim admitted groaning really regretting the day he had stepped in that shuttle and Bones had sat next to him.

"Don't be such an infant," McCoy told him getting up in his face, before plunging the sedative into Jim's neck.

"How long is it supposed to..." Jim started before he passed out falling back on the bed out cold.

"Unbelievable," Leinard said to himself walking away from the bed and pulling the curtain closed.

* * *

"Engines at maximum warp, Captain." Sulu announced turning around in his chair to face the Captain.

Pike had not made an issue of what had been his embarrassing mistake, something for which the helmsman was more than grateful for. In any case they were now under way and everything was functioning normally.

"Russian whiz kid, what's your name? Chanko? Cherpov?" Christopher asked the navigator that had been assigned to his ship at only seventeen.

"Ensign Chekov, Pavel Andreievich, sir," Pavel introduced himself turning around in his chair to face the Captain.

Farrah glanced up at him from her station. The ensign had not been part of her group from the Academy. She had never noticed him there, but judging by his thick accent he had probably been recruited straight from Moscow, or wherever he had been before now.

She turned away from him to look at her father, they often spoke over video chat, talking about how things were going for her at the Academy, and how the _Enterprise_ was coming along. But this was the first time she had physically seen him in almost a year and a half.

It wasn't that unusual now that she was older and an adult. But still, it was nice to see him again, and this time where he was the Captain and truly in his element. Something she had never seen before, and he had never seen her in any of the tactical officer simulations shed done. So they would both be discovering things about each other on this journey. She hadn't missed the small smile he had sent her way when he'd seen her. She hoped it meant he was proud of her, and she could keep him feeling that way.

"Fine, Chekov, Pavel Andreievich,"Christopher repeated the name saying it correctly. "Begin ship-wide mission broadcast," He requested.

"Yes, sir. Happy to," Pavel replied turning back around and entering the codes, "Ensign authorization code nine-five-Wictor-Wictor-two," Pavel said to the voice authorizer.

_"Authorization not recognized,"_ A female computer voice replied to him.

"Ensign authorization code nine-five-Vwictor-Vwictor-two," Pavel repeated this time trying much harder to pronounce the 'V'

_"Access Granted,"_ The computer voice told him.

"May I have your attention, please. At twenty-two hundred hours, telemetry detected at an anomaly in the Neutral Zone. What appeared to be a lightning storm in space. Soon after, Starfleet received a distress signal from Wulcan High Command that their planet was experiencing seismic actiwity. Our mission is to assess the condition of Wulcan, and to assist in the ewacuations if necessary. We should be arriving at Wulcan within three minutes. Thank you for your time," Pavel said into the comm, broadcasting it all over the ship, including the med bay.

Inside, Jim Kirk had just started to come back to consciousness when the young accented voice started speaking.

A lightning storm in space. Where had he read a description of an energy surge like that before?

No, it couldn't be, could it?

* * *

_Cliffhanger! Sort of..._


	9. Chapter 9

** _Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah :)_**

**_Thanks for the reviews! And everyone for following/favoriting!_**

* * *

_Previously..._

_Inside the med bay, Jim Kirk had just started to come back to consciousness when the young accented voice started speaking._

_A lightning storm in space. Where had he read a description of an energy surge like that before?_

_No, it couldn't be, could it?_

* * *

"Lightning storm!" Jim Kirk gasped as he sat up to quickly wincing in pain.

"Jim, you're awake. How do you feel?" McCoy asked him now out of his red cadet uniform and in his blue science division uniform.

"Good God, man," McCoy said to him looking down at his hands as both eyebrows rose in surprise.

"What?" Jim asked him before looking down at his hands as well and and releasing a shout of surprise before holding up his large swollen hands in shock.

"What the hell's this?" He questioned Bones in a squeaky voice grimacing.

"A reaction to the vaccine, damn it!" Bones shouted moving passed Jim and to a nurse, "Nurse Chapel, I need 50 cc's of cortisone!"

Jim ignored his friend and pushed himself up before starting to jog out of the med bay and to the screen to replay the broadcast as Bones came up behind him and started scanning him.

He rewinds it to the beginning before stopping,_ "...appeared to be a lightning storm in space,"_ They young man on the screen said in a thick Russian accent.

Now he remembered where he had heard of _"a lightning storm in space."_

McCoy was furiously scanning Kirk. The readings were not good; now his friend had become his patient.

"Hey! We gotta stop the ship!" Jim said to Bones slapping his swollen hands on the side of his head before taking off at a run away from him and out the med bay to the lift.

"Jim! I'm not kidding! We need to keep your heart rate down!" McCoy told him opening up the case he had grabbed when he had run after Jim.

Kirk located a computer interface; he found his fingers had gotten larger,"Computer, locate crew member Nyota Uhura," Jim said to the computer remembering the night that Nyota and Cadet Noël, or Farrah as he learned her name was had come in the room and he had to hide under the bed.

He had listened to their conversation while trying to be quite and remembered her telling Gaila about picking up an emergency transmission from a Klingon prison planet before Farrah had said that the 47 Klingon war birds were destroyed.

He needed to find Nyota, the one who had translated the message in order to find out exactly what had happened and if his suspicion was correct.

"You know, I haven't seen a reaction this severe since med school," Bones commented to him just before her took of running again.

"We're flying into a trap!" Jim shouted to him.

The computer brought up the location of Nyota, and without a second thought Jim was off in that direction.

Racing down the crowded section, Kirk kept looking for the one person he knew would confirm his conclusion.

"Damn it, Jim. Stand still!" McCoy told him before Jim finally stopped and he quickly shoved the hypospray in his neck.

Jim groaned and shook his head turning to him, "Stop it!" Before he took off in a run again weaving through the people until he spotted Nyota.

"Uhura! Uhura..." Jim called out to her making her turn around and jump out of her chair. Any other time he would have found amusing the shock that registered on her face as she recognized him.

"Kirk! What are you doing here?" She questioned him.

"The transmission from the Klingon prison planet. What exactly..." Kirk tried asking her but she interrupted him taking notice of his hands.

"Oh, my God, what's wrong with your hands?" She asked staring at them with wide eyes as McCoy came up behind him and started scanning him again.

"It-it-it... Look, who is responsible for the Klingon attack? Was the ship Woluman..." Kirk asked her having trouble pronouncing the last word.

Nyota was shaking her head slowly and frowning; she could tell from his inflections that Kirk was deadly serious."What?" She asked him confused as to what he was trying to say.

Jim turned away from her slightly to look at Bones as she scanned him, "Whats, what's happening to my mouth?"

"You got numb tongue?" Leonard asked him but getting his answer from the way Jim was pronouncing things.

""Numb tongue?"" Jim repeated holding up his hands, he really needed to reconsider his friendship with Bones after this.

"I can fix that," McCoy said turning and running back to the med bay.

Jim turned back to Nyota as she looked at him still with confusion, "Was the ship what?"

Trying to form the word slowly and clearly, Kirk asked, "Wolumn?" Still having trouble pronouncing it.

Nyota shook her head still not understanding, "What! I..." But he interrupted her.

"Woluman!" Jim tried again.

"Romulan?" Nyota repeated what she thought he said.

"Yeah!" Jim said nodding urgently glad she had finally understood.

"Yes," Nyota told him.

"Yes?" Jim questioned her before McCoy came up behind him and plunged another needle in his neck making him wince, "Damn it!"

* * *

Above the planet Vulcan, the Narada lowered the drill platform to the surface and turned it on, beginning to drill to the planet's core.

* * *

On the surface of Vulcan, rocks were tumbling down hillsides of brown. Cliffs cracked away as inspirational pinnacles and spires went with them. Amanda Grayson, Spock's mother rushed outside her home hearing the noise that the drill made. She could deal with the constant shaking beneath her feet if only there was a natural law to explain it, but there wasn't. She stared upon the beam of orange-yellow energy just beyond the Vasquez Rocks, her mouth hanging open in a silent gasp from shock.

Tilting her head back, she traced the column of energy upwards into the clear sky. It appeared to be descending from a metal disk, that proportions and details she was unable to see. The disk itself dangled from an irregular metallic thread that was of considerate diameter for her to see it at such a distance.

* * *

Had Amanda Grayson been able to track the source of the energy,she would have seen the massive ship above the Planet Vulcan. Inside the _Narada_, Ayel walked through the bridge to his Captain, "_Prod_ Nero. Seven Federation ships are on their way," He informed him.

Nero turned to look at him while grasping his staff, awaiting there arrival so he could destroy them. Nothing and no one would get in the way of his plans and his revenge.

* * *

Back on the Enterprise, Jim Kirk sprinted down the corridors to the bridge with Leonard McCoy and Nyota Uhura chasing after him.

"Jim!" Leonard shouted after him.

"What's going on?" Nyota yelled running after them.

"Jim, come back!" Leonard shouted again trying to catch him.

"Kirk!" Nyota shouted at him again trying to get him to stop.

Jim was moving to fast for them, both mentally and physically and by the time they did catch up to him he was already running inside of a lift, the doors closing before they could catch it.

Jim ran inside the bridge, making everyone inside look up at him from the commotion, "Captain! Captain Pike, sir we have to stop the ship!" Jim yelled at Christopher who stood up from his command chair to face him in disbelief.

Crew members on the bridge stared up at Kirk in confusion at the unexpected arrival. Many who did not recognize him looked at him in horror, unauthorized entry onto the bridge was a court-martial offense.

"Kirk, how the hell did you get on the Enterprise?" Christopher asked him.

Farrah had looked up when Jim burst through the doors and got up from her seat and walked closer to them, she probably should have said something about Kirk being on board, as he didn't seem to be allowed here. It seemed she was to preoccupied by her nerves and own thoughts to really think about it.

That was a fault on her part. As cheif tactical officer, she was trained to be alert at all times and catch things like this. It was embarrassing on her skills she was so proud of that she missed it.

"Captain, this mans under the influence of a sever reaction to a vaccine," Lenny explained to her father running out of the lift with Nyota while holding a scanner out at Kirk.

"Bones, please..." But Leonard cut him off.

"He's completely delusional, and I take full responsibility," Lenny said to him before Jim started shouting over him.

"Vulcan is not experiencing a natural disaster. It's being attacked by Romulans," Jim told Christopher who stared at him in disbelief.

"Romulans? Cadet Kirk, I think you've had enough attention for one day. McCoy, take him back to medical. Well have words later," Christopher said to Leonard in exasperation, his patience could only take so much.

"Aye, Captain," Leonard replied grabbing on to Jim who slipped out of his grasp and walked closer to Christopher.

"Look, sir, that same anomaly that we saw today..." Jim tried to explain before he was interrupted.

Spock stood up from his chair and walked up to Kirk and the Captain, "Mr. Kirk is not cleared to be aboard this vessel, Captain."

"I get it. You're a great arguer," Jim cut in getting sick of this bastard always popping up.

"By Regulations that makes him a stowaway,"

"-Id love to do it again,"

"I can remove the cadet..."

"Try it!" Jim challenged, "This cadet is trying to save the bridge."

"By recommending a full stop mid-warp during a rescue mission?" Spock asked him calmly.

"It's not a rescue mission. Listen to me, it's an attack," Jim said to Christopher with conviction.

"Based in what facts?" Spock asked him as everyone was now standing and staring at the argument in the middle of the room.

"That same anomaly, a lightning storm in space that we saw today, also occurred on the day of my birth, before a Romulan ship attacked the U.S.S Kelvin," Jim explained to Spock how he knew what what happening.

"You know that, sir, I read your dissertation," And he had done so.

The first week at the Academy he had gotten it put on his data pad and read it, also having read everything else about the attack on the Kelvin the day he was born.

"That ship, which had formidable and advanced weaponry, was never seen or heard from again," Jim said to Spock before turning back to Captain Pike, "The kelvin attack took place at the edge of Klingon space, and at 2300 hours last night, there was an attack. Forty-seven Klingon war birds destroyed by Romulans, sir, and it was reported that the Romulans were in one ship, one massive ship,"

"And you know of this Klingon attack how?" Pike asked him as Jim turned around and looked at Nyota.

"Sir, I intercepted and translated the message myself, Kirk's report is accurate," Nyota told him.

Farrah stepped up closer to them clearing her thoughts making her father, Kirk and Spock look at her, "I was there in the lab with her, sir, I can vouch for her."

"We're warping into a trap, sir, The Romulans are waiting for us, I promise you that," Kirk added after giving a nod in appreciation to Farrah.

Captain Pike turned to look at Spock as he started speaking, "The cadets logic is sound. And Lieutenant Uhura is unmatched in xenolinguistics. We would be wise to accept her conclusion," Spock said to him while turning slightly in Nyotas direction.

"Scan Vulcan space. check for any transmissions in Romulan," Pike said to the Lieutenant at the communications station.

"Sir, I'm not sure at can distinguish the Romulan language from Vulcan," He admitted.

"What about you? You speak Romulan cadet..." Pike asked looking at Nyota.

"Uhura. All three dialects, sir," She replied offering her name and an answer.

"...Uhura, relieve the lieutenant," Christopher told her nodding at the communications chair.

"Yes, sir," Nyota replied nodding and doing as he asked the Lieutenant leaving the bridge.

Christopher turned back around to his daughter, "Hail the U.S.S Truman."

"Yes, sir," She replied going back to her station and sitting down.

Farrah started typing in codes on her station trying to Hail the Truman but receiving no response as something seemed to be blocking their communications. She did however know that they were out of warp and at Vulcan.

"All the other ships are out of warp, sir, and have arrived at Vulcan, but we seem to have lost all contact," Farrah announced trying to get through the blocking signal but nothing appeared to be working.

"Sir, I pick up no Romulan transmission, or any transmission of any kind in the area," Nyota told him now with an ear price on.

"It's because they're being attacked," Kirk said to Christopher who walked away and sat back down in his chair and addressed his daughter."Shields up, red alert,"

"Yes, sir," She replied doing as he asked causing an alarm to go off.

As chief tactical officer, she controlled the ships weaponry and shields maintaining readiness as well as executing firing solutions. And hailing the other ships when in a high risk situation such as this.

"Arrival at Vulcan in five seconds." Lieutenant Sulu announced.

Farrah readied herself for firing weapons and evasive maneuvers as Sulu began counting down.

"Four, three, two..." He called out before the Enterprise dropped out of warp.

Outside the ship, the remains of the other fleet ships drifted through the atmosphere right in front of then as they stared at the mangled ships in horror.

It didn't look like anyone had survived, and Farrah couldn't help but feel despair at all those lives lost, the Enterprise was the only ship left, and judging by the ones she was seeing in front of her she wondered if she was going to die today.

Gaila had been on one of those ships, and now she knew in her gut she was gone, and she would never gossip with the green Orion again, or berate her for bringing back another guy to their room. She would never see her friend again.

"Emergency evasive!" Farrah heard her father yell and quickly moved to do as requested.

"Running it, Captain!" She shouted over the noise of the alarms.

Suddenly she was jolted in her seat as the ship was hit with debree from the other ships.

"Damage Report!" Captain Pike called.

"Deflector shields are holding!" She shouted back looking at her readings.

She looked up and out the window quickly seeing half of a Starfleet hull floating in space right ahead of them and began typing in along with Sulu and Chekov an evasive maneuver to avoid it.

"Full reverse! Come about starboard 90 degrees! Drop us down underneath them!" Captain Pike said to the three of them his voice raised but calm.

The hull made it underneath without hitting it but the debree managed to scrap the top of the impulse thrusters.

As the debree cleared they got the first sight of the Romulan ship _Narada_, and everyone stared at the massive ship in amazement and fear.


	10. Chapter 10

_ Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah. :)_

_Thank you to all who have favorited/followed and reviewed!_

* * *

On board the _Narada,_ Ayel yelled out to his captain, "Sir, there's another Federation ship!"

Nero nodded and sat down in his command chair before giving orders, "Destroy it too."

"Fire torpedoes!" A Romulan man called out.

* * *

Back on the _Enterprise_, Farrah Pike looked at the readings in her screen before announcing, "Captain, they're locking torpedoes."

"Divert auxiliary power from port nacelles to forward shields," Christopher Pike ordered.

Her fingers moving quickly, Farrah did as he asked, she could only hope it would be enough.

She had never seen that type of ship before in any of her advanced weaponry class textbooks. She did however learn about Romulan weaponry, and knew that the shields on the _Enterprise_ might not be enough for the type of torpedoes that they were using.

It seemed she was correct, as the torpedoes flew through the shields like there were nothing causing explosions to go off all around the ship where they were hit.

* * *

In the sick bay Leonard McCoy was slammed into a wall and pinned there until gravity stabilized. He dropped back down to the floor and looked around at the mess and the crew members that lay motionless and bloody on the floors.

* * *

"Shields? Status report?" Christopher questioned his daughter.

"Shields at 32%. Their weapons are powerful, sir. We can't take another hit like that," Farrah replied turning to look at her father over her shoulder.

He looked very calm, a little tense, but she felt a new-found respect for him. There they were, facing their possible deaths, and he was as calm and collected as ever.

"Get me Starfleet Command!" He yelled out to Nyota.

"Captain, the Romulan ship has lowered some kind of high-energy pulse device into the Vulcan atmosphere," Spock announced turning around to his Captain."It's signal appears to be blocking our communications and transporter abilities," He continued.

"All power to forward shields, prepare to fire all weapons," Christopher yelled out to his daughter who dutifully began working at the task.

On the outside, Christopher Pike looked the picture of calm. On the inside however he was anything but. He knew that he was responsible for over 1000 crew members on the _Enterprise_. And one of them being his daughter didn't help the situation.

Still, panicking would only make the situation worse. But looking at his daughter, who only continued to grow and look even more like her mother Vera, the woman he had loved, still loved so deeply. She just being there drove him even harder to find a solution to the fight they were in the middle of, one that would have her and everyone else aboard the ship return to earth safely.

He promised himself when Vera died that he would protect Farrah till the day he died. Something she had made incredibly difficult with her decision to join Starfleet. But, he knew being a Pike, she would never be happy to just stay on earth for the rest of her life.

She had told him she wanted to do something special and see amazing things. She felt like she was meant for more than what earth could offer her. And so he had relented, and let her go off to Starfleet. If Vera were still there with him, he knew she would only want for there daughter what would make her happy. And who was he to stand in the way of her happiness.

* * *

Nero watched the screens as the Federation ship turned and came closer to them

"Weapons ready," His tactical officer announced.

"Wait!" Nero yelled back and the officer obliged, "The hull. Magnify," He ordered them.

"Yes, sir," A Romulan man replied doing as ordered.

The screen zoomed in on the federation ship, giving Nero a clear view of its name.

_U.S.S Enterprise_

* * *

"Captain, were being hailed," Nyota announced standing up and turning to the screen.

A man appeared on the screen, he could have been a Vulcan, with his up turned eyebrows and pointed ears. But it was the emotions clear on his face, and the black tattoos that told them he was Romulan.

_ "Hello,"_ He said to them.

"I'm Captain Christopher Pike. To whom am I speaking?"

_"Hi, Christopher. I'm Nero,"_ The Romulan, Nero replied.

"You've declared war against the Federation. Withdraw, I'll agree to arrange a conference with Romulan leadership at a neutral location," Christopher replied calmly.

_"I do not speak for the Empire. We stand apart,"_ Nero explained almost angrily, confusing them before he tilted his head and began speaking again, _"As does your Vulcan crew member. Isn't that right, Spock?_"

Everyone turned away from Nero on the screens to watch as Spock stood up from his chair and walked forwards, "Pardon me, I do not believe that you and I are acquainted," Spock told him coming to stand by the Captain.

_"No, we're not. Not yet,"_ Nero replied, _"Spock, there's something I would like you to see,"_ He told him but offered no clue as to what that was.

"_Captain Pike, your transporter has been disabled. As you can see by the rest of your armada, you have no choice. You will man a shuttle and come aboard the _Narada _for negotiations. That is all,"_ Nero instructed before the communication was cut off and he was gone.

Farrah along with everyone else turned to look at their Captain as he stood up and began to slowly walk from the bridge.

"He'll kill you. You know that," Jim told him what he already knew.

"Your survival is unlikely," Spock agreed.

"Captain, we gain nothing by diplomacy. Going over to that ship is a mistake," Jim continued quickly looking out the window at the _Narada_.

"I, too, agree. You should re-think your strategy," Spock told him.

"I understand that," Christopher replied before turning to the rest of the bridge, "I need officers who've been trained in advanced hand-to-hand combat."

Farrah had been practically frozen since Nero had ordered her father on board the _Narada_, but she was pulled out of her paralysis from what he asked, as the next thing she knew she was standing and walking towards him.

"I have the training, sir," Farrah told her father what he knew from her telling him of the classes she had taken.

"I too, have the training, sir," Hikaru Sulu volunteered standing up and stepping forward as well.

"You two, come with me," Christopher told them eyeing his daughter.

He wanted to tell her to stay there on the bridge, but in the ship he was a Captain first and then a father. He had heard from many of her instructors praise from how well she performed and progressed over the years, he knew her skills were needed and that she could take care of herself.

"Kirk, you, too. You're not supposed to here anyway," Christopher said to Jim as the four of them followed him out of the bridge.

"Chekov, you have the conn," Christopher said to the Russian genius.

"Aye-aye, Captain," Chekov replied.

* * *

On the _Narada_, Nero walked up to Ayel, "Prepare the red matter," he ordered.

"Yes, sir," Ayel replied and quickly left the bridge to go to the ship they had taken that contained the red matter.

Inside, a Romulan scientist extracted a tiny part from the large ball of red matter and put it inside a long clear cylinder holding container.

Ayel took the cylinder from him and then walked away to the drill platform where he loaded the red matter in the apparatus.

* * *

Farrah walked slightly behind her father beside Jim with Spock and Sulu right behind them.

"Without transporters, we can't beam off the ship, we can't assist Vulcan, we can't do our job," He said before turning to her, Jim and Sulu, "You three and Engineer Olson will space-jump from the shuttle. You will land on that machine they've lowered into the atmosphere that's scrambling our gear. You'll get inside, you'll disable it, then you'll beam back to the ship."

"Mr. Spock, I'm leaving you in command of the Enterprise. Once we have transport capability and communications back up, you'll contact Starfleet and report what the hell's going on here," Christopher spoke to them as they walked through the halls of engineering.

The Captain turned around to face them as he stopped before the turbo-lift, "And if all else fails, fall back, rendezvous with the fleet in the _Laurentian system_," Before he turned to face only Jim, "Kirk, I'm promoting you to first officer."

"What?" Jim stared back at pike open-mouthed in shock.

"Captain?" Spock asked making Christopher turn and face the commander, "Please, I apologize, the complexities of human pranks escape me."

"It's not a prank, Spock. And I'm not the Captain, you are," Christopher replied before turning back around to Sulu, Kirk and Farrah.

"Lets go," He told them as he led them inside the lift.

"Sir, after we knock out that drill, what happens to you?" Jim asked the Captain as he stopped behind him beside Farrah.

"Well, I guess you'll have to come and get me," Pike replied before looking out at Spock, "Careful with ship, Spock, she's brand new," He told him right before the lift doors closed and they were going down to the shuttle bay.

* * *

Spock on cocked an eyebrow before he left and walked back to the turbo lift, which took him to the bridge.

He sat down in the command chair and turned on the comm,"Doctor Puri. Report."

"It's McCoy . Dr. Puri was in Deck 6. He's dead," Leonard told him as sparks went off behind him and people were being dragged from the damaged sick bay.

"Then you have just inherited his responsibility as chief medical officer," Spock replied.

Leonard turned and looked at the mess behind him before speaking in his comm again, "Yeah, tell me something I don't know."

* * *

The lift opened in the shuttle bay and all four of them stepped out where they found Engineer Olsen waiting for them.

"The four of you, go get your suits on. I hope none of you has a particular fear of heights," Christopher told them before walking to the shuttle.

Sulu and Olsen did as he asked almost immediately, Farrah stayed to speak with her father, not even noticing Jim turn around and seeing she wasn't following come after her.

"You can't do this!" Farrah yelled to her father coming up behind him.

"If it will keep you and everyone else on this ship safe, then I will gladly do so," Christopher replied turning to her.

"There has to be something else..." Farrah said to him, but she knew there wasn't anything they could do.

"Come here," Christopher told her and she did so throwing herself into his arms and burying her face in his neck.

It wasn't like Jim had intended to eavesdrop, he had noticed that Cadet, or Lieutenant Noël wasn't following them and had come back to see what was the matter with her, he didn't think she had a problem with heights. He found himself hiding behind a shuttle, but still within viewing and hearing distance of her.

So, when she threw herself into Christopher Pikes arm, you could say he was more than confused. And he couldn't help his curiousness, he wanted to know what relationship they had.

He also realized he found himself feeling jealous of the Captain, he wanted to be the one comforting Farrah... He shook himself of those thoughts, that was not the type of guy he was.

He was the one where he slept with a girl and left before she even woke up, in the event she did it was with a promise to call her later, (which he never did) it was just an excuse so he could get them to let him leave.

He found himself caring for Farrah, and thought of her as a friend. The name game they had been doing since they first met had started out as a means to get her in his bed. Then he realized he actually liked Farrah, there was lust at first, and still was. She was a beautiful woman and any guy could see that, but then he found he actually liked spending time with her even if he hadn't known her name.

"Look at me," Christopher said to Farrah and she pulled away from his shoulder and looked up at him.

"If something goes wrong, which there is a chance.. Then don't you dare try to rescue me. You get out of here and you get home," He told her looking in her eyes with determination, he knew if something went wrong that's exactly what she would do.

Farrah just shook her head back and forth. She couldn't, wouldn't leave him there to die, "I can't do that!"

"Promise me!" He said to her.

"I can't," She repeated staring at her father.

She had lost her mother, and couldn't imagine losing her father to. He was all she had left of her family, if something happened to him, she would basically be an orphan.

Sure she had Magnolia, who was like a grandmother to her. And all her friends at the academy, some of them here on the _Enterprise_, like Nyota and Lenny, even Jim and a few other cadets she had come to know.

But he was her father, and she just couldn't fathom life without him there to guide her.

"Promise me!" Christopher said to her again putting his hands on the sides of her head.

"I..I promise you," Farrah replied while her father looked in her eyes and could tell that she meant it.

"Good," Christopher replied nodding in satisfaction.

"I love you," Farrah told him fighting back tears that threatened to fall.

"I love you too," Christopher replied kissing her on the forehead before pulling back.

Jim had seen enough and quickly backed away from his hiding spot and to go after Olsen and Sulu and get his suit on.

He felt more jealous now seeing them profess their love for each other. He thought that he and Farrah had some kind of connection, and that maybe over time something might have happened between them.

He did maybe one day want a steady relationship, the reason he never attempted any other than the odd girlfriend in high school was because of his parents.

He saw how broken up his mom was for most of his life. The heartbreak and depression she seemed to suffer from his father's death, a father he had never met. That fact seemed to hit her the hardest, and it took its toll on both him and his brother George.

He didn't want that to happen to he girl he loved, he didn't want for her to end up like his mother had.

Sighing, he decided it was for the best he hadn't tried anything with Farrah and began putting on his blue semi flexible drops suit with the help of a technician. But still, Farrah and Captain Pike? The guy was like 80 in Jim's eyes, what did he have that Jim didn't?

* * *

Farrah couldn't believe she had just promised her father that if something happened she wouldn't go back for him, she felt awful. He knew her to well it seemed, she had already thought of things she could do to try to save him if something went wrong.

But she had just promised him not to, and she couldn't break a promise to him.

"Now get going and get your suit on. We don't have time to waste," Her father told her and she nodded giving him one last hug.

"I love you dad," She whispered in his ear before letting go and running up beside Sulu and in front of the green suit she would be wearing.

She turned her back on them and stripped off her gold uniform before putting on a thin skin-tight black suit that went on underneath the drop suit.

A female technician helped her put on the green one as fast as they could, checking things over before she quickly went after the three men who had left seconds before her.

It took a bit to get used to it, it was bulky and semi uncomfortable but eventually she adjusted and climbed inside the shuttle to sit between Jim and Sulu.

_"Shuttle 89, U.S.S. Enterprise, you are clear forward,"_ A mans voice announced over the comms as Christopher sat down in the pilot's chair, _"Interval check __shows positive and steady,"_

"You got the charges, right?" Jim asked Olsen who sat next to him in a red suit.

"Oh, yeah. I can't wait to kick some Romulan ass. Right?" Olsen said to him with much to much excitement for Farrah's taste.

Down there on the drill platform it was going to be a kill or be killed situation, and Olsen seemed much to enthusiastic about that. She had never killed anything or anyone before, this would not be an easy experience even if the Romulans were the enemy.

"Yeah," Jim agreed though not very much meaning it.

"Hell, yeah." Olsen replied nodding.

The four of them in the back felt it as the shuttle took off and left the_ Enterprise_.

"So what kind of combat training do you have?" Jim asked looking at Sulu who was in a yellow suit.

"Fencing," Sulu replied proudly.

Jim stared at him before looking at Farrah who sat next to him, "And you?"

"Advanced hand-to-hand," She told him and he nodded, at least some one would know what they were doing.

"Pre-jump," Christopher called back to them.

The four of them reached below and picked up their helmets and set them on there heads snapping them into place as the doors of the shuttle leading to the pilot's chair closed tightly.

The suits automatically pressurized. Internal instruments would preserve proper atmosphere, humidity, and pressure as long as suit integrity remained intact.

_"We're approaching the drop zone. We have one shot to land on that platform. They may have defenses so pull your chute as late as possible,"_ Pike announced over the comm.

The four in the back stood up and set their hands on the bars standing right above the shuttles doors.

"Three, two, one," Christopher announced and then the gravity in the back of the shuttle lessened causing them all to become weightless and hit the ceilings.

_"Remember, the Enterprise won't be able to beam you back until you turn off that drill. Good luck,"_ Christopher told them before pulling a lever and the four of them were dropped out of the shuttle.

Instant compartment depressurization had kicked them out as forcefully as if they had been shot from a cannon.

Beneath them the planet's surface was thousands of kilometers away, but until they reached it all that was around them was mostly nothing.

They used their suits small and individual, mechanical thrusters to adjust their descent attitude until they were rocketing along head first into the drill and planet below them.

* * *

_So, on note of Jim thinking that Farrah and Captain Pike are in a romantic relationship, I think that might be realistic for him. He hasn't ever seen Farrah and Pike interacting before and so came to that conclusion. Honestly I was a little weirded out by it...don't know about you guys. But the idea sort of stuck, I wont have Jim thinking that for long I promise! Also, Farrah looks much more like her mother than Pike so that has something to do with him not making the connection. But in the bar in Iowa I had Jim compare Farrah and Pikes stares. So that should come up again._

_I tried to think about reasons that Jim doesn't have serious relationships with women and came to that, hopefully it fits with his character..._

_A note on George, Jim's brother, he was in a deleted scene from the movie, and you may want to remember my mentioning of him.. he might just pop up again later... _

_Thoughts on this chapter?_

_Until tomorrow! :)_


	11. Chapter 11

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah! :)_

_Notes on reviews:_

_George Samuel Kirk was the brother of Jim. He was usually called George, but his brother always called him Sam. He was named after George Kirk, Jim and George's father! :) but thanks for pointing that out! Sorry for any confusion! _

_You know, sometimes I wonder if I am a machine or not lol. _

_And yep! I will continue this to Into Darkness! But since it isn't going to be out on DVD for a bit and I haven't memorized the movie, I am going to do something in between then so I don't leave everyone hanging! Whatever I do it will be set between the end of the first movie and lead up to Into Darkness! :) I do have some ideas but haven't decide just yet... Thanks for asking! _

* * *

It was the silence that struck Farrah. She had never truly done this type of thing in anything but a simulation. And in those if you were about to die, the instructors would turn it off.

The free-falling emptiness had no sound, except for the pounding in her chest. Vulcan was rushing towards them at an incredible rate and she was tempted to pull her shoot then, but knew she couldn't.

Only seconds after they dropped, they found themselves shooting along side the large tether that connected the plasma drill to the Romulan ship.

They were plummeting to the surface much to fast for Farrah to get any good details, but the ship above them and the drill had a considerable leap in technology then what the Federation possessed.

Some things were familiar to her, like the high energy pulse device that they were using to drill a hole inside of the planet. But other than that, the entire ship was far more advanced than it should be at this point in time.

How had so many scientific and military developments gone unnoticed and unreported? The Federation had reliable contacts within the Romulan Empire didn't it?

* * *

"Away team is entering the atmosphere, sir, Twenty thousand meters," Chekov announces to Spock on the bridge.

"Approaching the platform at fifty-eight hundred meters," Chekov announced again.

"Kirk to Enterprise. Distance to target, 5,000 meters," Jim said over the comm.

"Forty-six hundred meters from the platform," Chekov counted.

* * *

"Forty-five hundred meters to target," Sulu announced.

"Four thousand meters," Farrah announced this time.

"Three thousand meters," Olsen counted down.

"Two thousand meters," Jim announced.

"Pulling chute," Sulu said before doing so, followed by Kirk and then Farrah slowing their descent immediately.

A gleaming red blur shot past her, heading directly for the looming drill platform below them.

Realizing who it was Jim called into the comm, "Olson, pull the chute now, now!"

"Two thousand meters!" Olsen said into his comm with laughter in his voice.

"Pull your chute Olson!" Jim yelled out into the comm looking down at Olsen as he continued to drop.

"No, not yet! Not yet! 1,500 meters!" Olsen shouted again this time laughing.

"Pull your chute!" Farrah yelled out to him.

"One thousand meters!" Olsen shouted still laughing before he pulled his chute and slowed down.

But not slow enough.

He hit the platform hard but was still alive, his drop suit had protected him. The impact had only knocked the wind out of him and sent him flying sideways across the metal platform.

Stunned, he scrambled for a handhold on the sloping surface as he slid toward the edge. Still deployed, his chute had caught air and was dragging him backward. Reaching out, he hit the button to retract the fabric. As he did so, he lost what grip he had and tumbled off the edge.

His angle of descent sent him spinning toward the column of plasma energy. Before he could reopen his chute, he made the slightest contact with its white-hot energy.

Incineration was instantaneous.

* * *

"Olson!" Jim shouted down.

"Olsen is gone, sir," Chekov told him looking at the readings in the screen which no longer had a red dot for Olsen.

Farrah landed on the platform first, she stumbled and rolled an started sliding off until she got a grip on a piece of the platform. Her chute pulled her back and gripping on to the platform with her right hand, her strongest. She released her left and hit the button on her suit causing the chute to fold back in.

"Pike has landed, sir," Chekov told Spock on the bridge.

Farrah looked up as Jim came flying on the platform tumbling further down the slight slope the she had. It looked to her that he might fall from it but he managed to catch a grip like she had. His chute threatened to pull him back but he lifted a hand to his chest and slammed the button making the chute fold back in.

"Kirk has landed, sir," Chekov said to Spock.

Farrah and Jim both took deep breaths to steady themselves before they both ripped off their helmets. Farrah stood up, bent over and put her hands on her knees. That entire experience had exhilarated and frightening her at the same time.

They both looked up as between them a piece of the metal lifted up and a Romulan man exited carrying gun.

Jim pushed himself up and ran at him struggling with the gun he was holding causing the man to fire off shots that hit Sulu's chute as he neared the platform.

Farrah watched as Sulu lost control and started flying through the air wildly. Beside her Jim took hold of the gun and slammed it in the Romulan's face making him stumble back.

Deciding it was time to get off her ass and do something Farrah stood up straight and walked closer to the ongoing fight.

Jim punches the Romulan man in the face with his fist, before he pulled out his blaster to shoot him but the Romulan man whacked it out of his hand causing it to slide off the edge of the platform.

So much for that plan, she thought as she reached to pull her blaster out.

Before she could however arms wrapped around her from behind and tossed her to the ground, dropping her blaster in the process.

She stood up as the Romulan man moved to attack her and dodged as he attempted to strike her. He barely missed her and then swung again with his other arm. Farrah grabbed a hold of it and pulled with all her strength sending the Romulan man falling to the ground.

She started breathing heavily and realized her mistake. Her best strengths were speed and the fact that she was usually smaller than her opponents. She had underestimated the weight of the Romulan man and would have to take great care not to do so again.

He quickly stood up and attacked her again, this time hitting her in the face and knocking her to the ground. She ignored the pain and pushed herself up. Just in time as the man produced a sword and swung it at the spot she was just laying in. She had no idea where he got it from, and wished he didn't have it as she was weaponless.

She backed up quickly and the man made to attack her but before he could Sulu appeared behind him kicking him away from her as he drew his own sword.

Farrah stood back as they engaged in a sword fight finding her impressed in Sulu's skills and turned to look at Jim who seemed to have trouble with his Romulan opponent

Looking around for a weapon, she couldn't find her blaster and guessed it must have fallen to the planets surface like Jim's.

She spotted her green helmet and ran and picked it up then turned over to see Jim still fighting the Romulan. She snuck up behind the man and hit him across the head knocking him to the ground.

"Thanks," Jim replied breathing heavily.

"No problem," Farrah replied.

They turned to look as the Romulan man stood up again looking dazed but still attacked Jim, who dodged his punches.

Behind them Farrah noticed a third Romulan man come out of the hatch and dodged around Jim's fight to reach him.

The Romulan made to strike her but she ducked and punched the man in the stomach causing him to stumble back. She moved quickly and this time kicked him in the side as he was doubled over from her punch sending him toppling over.

"So you and the Captain huh?" Jim said to her from behind breathlessly

"What?" Farrah replied confused about what he was talking about.

The man she was fighting with stood up again and charged her but she dodged him and kicked him in the back sending him falling face first into the platform.

"So what are you lovers?" Jim asked her and she couldn't help it, she turned to him in shock and disgust.

"Excuse me!" She shrieked.

"Maybe not, he looks old enough..." He started before grunting from being punched in the stomach. He recovered and punched the Romulan in the face, "...to be married."

Farrah was about to reply when the Romulan came up behind her and shoved her to the ground. She quickly pushed herself up and as he attempted to punch her in the face, blocked and then punched him right in the larynx.

"Or maybe your his mistress!" Jim shouted out to her.

Farrah had no idea what brought the disgusting idea to Jim's mind. She'd had enough of this fight and quickly as the Romulan she was fighting clutched his neck with his hands she kicked him in the stomach again, sending him stumbling backwards to the edge of the platform before tumbling off with a strangled cry.

Farrah turned to Jim to question him about his mental state and saw just as he was thrown to the edge and was hanging by his hands. The Romulan man made attempts to step on them but Jim kept moving them out of his way.

"That is disgusting!" Farrah shouted to him looking around for another weapon when she spotted a Romulan blaster, which apparently did not fall off the side like hers and Jim's.

She picked it up and loaded it just as Jim let out a shout of pain and fired killing the Romulan sending him falling off the edge.

"Your a freaking idiot!" Farrah said to Jim walking over and taking his hand and pulling him up on to the platform.

"Why's that?" Jim asked her as he climbed up.

"Because he's my father you dumb ass! Can't you see the resemblance?" She asked him letting go of his hand once he was securely on the platform.

"What! No!" Jim yelled back at her utterly confused.

"Sulu? Can you tell that she's Pikes daughter?" Jim asked looking at the helmsman who stood alone looking at them, the Romulan man he had fought nowhere in sight.

"Yes, sir. In the face, sir," Sulu replied looking at Farrah, "And also that her last name is Pike," He added.

"No it isn't! It's Noël!" Jim yelled back at him.

"That's my mothers maiden name!" Farrah shouted back at him, both from anger and so they could hear her over the noise of the drill.

"Well how was I supposed to know that?" Jim questioned her with an offended look on his face.

"We don't have time for this!" Farrah shouted at him, "Olsen had the charges."

"I know," Jim replied looking around the platform.

"What do we do?" Sulu asked them.

Farrah looked around spotting another Romulan blaster and quickly went and picked if up, "This!" She shouted at Sulu tossing it to him. Before firing at the engine of the drill with the Romulan gun she already had. Jim and Sulu caught on to what she was doing and started firing as well.

Sparks flew and smoke rose from the engines while the platform started to shake. Soon the energy beam from the drill turned off.

"The jamming signals gone. Transport abilities are reestablished," Nyota announced to Spock.

"Transporter control is reengaged, sir," Chekov told him.

"Chekov, run gravitational sensors. I want to know what they are doing to the planet," Spock asked him looking at the screens.

"Aye, commander," Chekov replied before catching his mistake, "Ack, Captain. Sorry, Captain."

* * *

"The drills been sabotaged, sir, but we have reached the planets core," Ayel announced aboard the_ Narada_ to his Captain.

"Launch the red matter," Nero told him from his command chair.

The officer nodded and went to do as he asked, sending the red matter flying towards Vulcan, passed Farrah, Jim and Sulu who ran to the edge to watch it fall.

"Kirk to Enterprise. They just launched something at the planet through the hole they just drillled," Jim said into his comm, "Do you copy Enterprise?"

"Yes, sir," An officer replied.

"Captain, gravitational sensors are off the scale. If my calculations are correct, they're creating a singularity that will consume the planet," Chekov said to Spock turning around in his chair to face him.

"They are creating a black hole at the center of Vulcan?" Spock asked him, needing confirmation.

"Yes, sir," Chekov replied sadly nodding.

"How long does the planet have?" Spock asked him.

"Minutes, sir. Minutes," Chekov replied solemnly.

Spock jumped out of his seat and walked passed Nyota, "Alert Vulcan Command Center to signal a planet-wide evacuation, all channels, all frequencies," Spock told her turning around and walking at a brisk pace to the lift.

"Spock wait!" Nyota shouted at him, "Where are you going?"

"To evacuate the Vulcan High Council," He replied entering the lift, "They are tasked with protecting our cultural history. My parents will be among them."

"Can't you beam them out?" Nyota asked worriedly.

"It is impossible. They will be in the _katric ark_. I must get them myself," Spock told her with a small hint of emotion on his face before it was gone, "Chekov you have the conn."

"Aye..." Chekov replied turning back around to his station, "Uh...yay," He said to himself unenthusiastic.

* * *

"Kirk to Enterprise! Beam us out of here!" Jim shouted into his comm.

"Stand by. Locking on your signal," A transporter chief replied.

Suddenly the drill lurched causing the three of them to go toppling over. Farrah fell backwards and Jim fell sideways, Sulu however fell off the platform.

"I can't lock on to you. Don't move. Don't move!" The transporter technician told them.

It was to late as Jim was already up and running after Sulu who had fallen off the platform without his chute.

Farrah was about to get up when a familiar white glow surrounded her and she was back on the Enterprise laying down on her back.

She quickly pulled herself up and off the transporter pad and to stand behind the transporter chief listening in to the comms.

_"Kirk to Enterprise! We're falling without a chute! Beam us up!"_ Jim shouted into the comms as he and Sulu fell towards the surface.

"I'm trying. I can't lock on to your signal. Your moving to fast," The technician replied looking at her screens where Jim and Sulu were moving around.

_"Beam us up!"_ Jim shouted again.

"You just had to beam me up didn't you? The only one with a chute," Farrah said to the technician turning to her with a glare.

* * *

"I can do that. I can do that!" Chekov said to himself before jumping out of his seat and leaving the bridge.

"Move, move, move, move, move!"He shouted at people he passed on the way to the transporter room, "I can do that! I can do that! Move, move, move!"

Farrah looked up as Chekov ran into the room yelling,"Quick, give me manual control! I can lock on!"

The technician she had glared at moved out of her chair as Chekov started to work quickly.

_"Enterprise, where are you?"_ Jim asked through the comm as they got closer to the surface.

"Hold on, hold on, hold on!" Chekov said to him.

_"Now, now, now, do it now!"_ Jim shouted at him.

"Okay, okay, okay! Hold in! Hold on! Compensating gravitational pill, and..." Chekov didn't finish as the screen told him that it was locked.

Jim and Sulu were wrapped in a familiar white glow with hardly any time to spare. As a second later they would be splattered on the planet's surface.

Instead they landed on the transporter pad, sending some of the glass flying from the impact.

"Oh! Yah-my-oo!" Chekov shouted and the last bit Farrah decided was probably Russian.

Before Chekov knew it arms were wrapped around him and squeezing him tightly, "Your a genius Pavel!" Farrah told him making him blush as she stepped back and smiled at him.

"God," Jim grunted sitting up on the pad.

"Thanks," Sulu told him.

"No problem," Jim replied groaning.

Spock walked up to the landing pad and looked down at them, "Clear the pad. I'm beaming to the surface," He told them.

"The surface of what?" Jim asked him standing up and walking off the transport pad with Sulu.

"What, are you going down there? Are you nuts?" Jim asked him but he was ignored as Spock lowered himself in a crouch.

"Spock, you can't do that!" Jim shouted out to him.

"Energize," Spock ordered Chekov who did as he asked.

"Spock!" Jim shouted again but he was to late as Spock had beamed to the surface of Vulcan.

Jim sighed and turned to look at Chekov and Farrah who were behind him.

He cleared his throat awkwardly looking away from Farrah, "So..."

"So, like I said down there. You're a dumb ass," Farrah told him shaking her head.

"It's not my fault! You told me your last name was Noël! What was I supposed to think?" Jim asked her.

"Anything by that! His mistress! Really?" Farrah asked him in exasperation.

"Hey, it makes sense," Jim replied with a nod defending his choice.

"It does not. Uncle never crossed your mind?" She asked him with a pointed look.

"No it didn't. Why didn't you just tell me your last name was Pike?" Jim asked her in confusion.

She sighed and looked away. She hadn't told him because she was still dealing with that first year at the academy when they met. All her instructors expected more from the daughter of Christopher Pike, she was sick of all the disappointed looks she was getting. She had seen intelligence in Jim's eyes that night, and played it safe by saying her last name was Noël. Surely living so close to the ship yard he would have heard of Captain Pike. The man so many people looked up to.

Then there little name game started and she didn't particularly want to correct him. Even now she was still hesitant in people knowing her last name. But, she also was getting past her fear. She had survived that drop to the platform, and while there battle was not over, she had proven herself just a little.

"I was and still am tired of everyone hearing the last name Pike and expecting me to be something so much more. This is who I am, I can't change anything," Farrah explained looking back up at him, "Your last name is Kirk. You can probably relate," She told him and his face seemed to soften at her admission.

"Yeah...Yeah I know what you mean," Jim replied agreeing with her.

She was right, when he told people his name some of them had no idea who George Kirk was, but others did. And Jim getting in all the trouble at the Academy as he did was not what they would expect from George Kirk's son.

George Kirk had sacrificed himself so the crew of the _U.S.S Kelvin_ could escape. Jim Kirk cheated on tests and got other people to do his work for him. He wondered if he ever made it to captain one day, would he be willing to make that type of sacrifice?

He looked at Farrah who stared at him with that knowing look. The one she had used three years ago in Iowa when they first met. And he had even compared Captain Pikes and her stares, he couldn't believe it took him this long to see the similarity.

Pikes stare was like the man knew something you didn't, like he knew what you were going to do before you did. Farrah's was softer, gentler even. Like she was seeing deeper than that. Into his soul and seeing all his darkest secrets and confronting them. It was a little unnerving, but also slightly comforting.

Jim shook himself of those thoughts. He had already decided he would not be perusing a relationship with Farrah. _But..._a little voice whispered. That was because he thought that she and the Captain were lovers and he didn't stand a chance. But now, she appeared to be completely available.

The two of them looked over at the transport pad and away from each other as the white glow began signaling transports. They both noticed Spock firsr who appeared to be reaching out in thin air before he lowered his hand and looked away.

* * *

The _Enterprise_ flies away as the black hole consumes Vulcan and everyone who had not escaped with it...

* * *

_Not that I don't love Spock.. But I think since this is a Jim Kirk FanFiciton, I am not going to focus on his scenes anymore unless they are very important. Also, this isn't a Spock romance, so I don't think Ill be including anymore Nyota/Spock scenes either!:)_

_Thoughts on the chapter? _

_Thank you everyone for taking the time to review to the updates! You have no idea how much it means to me to see them! And seeing how may followers and favorites this story has is spectacular! _


	12. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah._

* * *

Farrah walked out of the med bay where many Vulcan survivors were being treated. Her cheek was bruising where the Romulan had punched her and her fists were throbbing and turning purple to match her face. Lenny had given her some pain medication and some other things that she couldn't name. He just said it would help the healing process become faster.

She didn't want to waste anymore of his time when he should be tending to the Vulcan people. She had even seen a Vulcan man whose hand had been stuck underneath a rock when he was beamed away so part of his hand was missing when he re-materialized. She left after that and made her way slowly back to bridge.

It had only just hit her after Vulcan was destroyed. All those people were killed. And all those cadets on the other ships. She hadn't even had time to grieve for Gaila as everything happened so quickly. She didn't even have time now, it wasn't the right time for it, they had been taught that in the Academy. When your comrades die you push through your grief and carry on until your back home on earth and off duty.

Easier said than done.

She walked slowly and sluggishly to go back to the bridge. She didn't really want to do anything but needed something to occupy her mind. The halls were basically bare as everyone was doing something else to help with the situation; but a few people passed her along the way giving her hardly any looks other then a a sweep of the eye.

She gave them no notice as she put her right hand on the cool curved metal wall that was humming from the engines. She ran her fingers along it as she walked, she hoped the feeling would calm her but it didn't. Instead she was plagued of even worse thoughts then her grief. They hadn't heard from her father and she heard whispering from the nurses in the med bay that he was dead.

She knew somehow that he was still alive, surely she would be able to feel that he was dead and she was the last of the Pikes wouldn't she?

The truth was she didn't really know if he was alive or not. If he was dead, she wondered where his body was and if the Romulan commander had sent it out an air lock drifting through space. On the other hand, if he was still alive like she hoped then he was most likely in pain.

She was smart enough not to be fooled by hopeful thoughts. She didn't think that Nero invited her father on his ship to have dinner and get to know each other. No, she knew the Romulan man wanted something from him. Her father was a Captain and therefore knew many codes to get passed Starfleet defenses. But he'd be damned before he revealed them to anyone.

So she was drawn to the thoughts that plagued her mind. In her tactical class she had learned about interrogating prisoners for information. Starfleet did not do it, but other organizations did. They would torture the interviewee for information if they didn't give it willingly.

She couldn't help herself and dwelled on all the possible things that were being done to him at this very moment. Her mind was filled with horrible images that she couldn't stop from coming to her. They were mostly of him laying somewhere lifeless and bloody groaning in pain. Others were of him screaming for her to help him.

She could feel the tears run down her face and before she knew it they turned into uncontrollable sobs. Her knees buckled underneath her and she didn't have the energy to get back up again as she cried head in her hands from the grief of everyone dying and the grief that she may never see her father again.

After a few minutes when she was beginning to calm down some he felt a hand on her back and startled whipped her head around to see Jim Kirk standing there.

* * *

Jim had been on his way up to the bridge from the med bay after having his hands wrapped in gauze and his face looked at when he saw something he was not expecting.

Farrah Pike sat on the floor of the hallway leading to the bridge with her head in her hands as she shook from sobs.

He wasn't really sure what he was supposed to do. Comforting a crying woman was not one of his strong suits but still he went and put a hand on her back and she jumped and turned to look at him with a red face and watery eyes.

"Come on, up you go," He mumbled to her.

Kneeling down in front of her he wrapped his arms underneath hers and pulled her up to a standing position.

She rested her head in the crook between his shoulder and neck while wrapping her arms around him as he patted her back whispering sweet nothing's in her ear to calm her down.

"He dead isn't he," Farrah mumbled into his neck and he shook his head.

"No, he's Captain Pike. He can't die now, he's...Well he's Captain Pike," Jim replied not really sure what to say to her.

It was obvious why she was upset, among all the other people dying at Vulcan her father was somewhere on that Romulan ship, his fate unknown.

Farrah didn't reply just leaning on him while he soothingly rubbed her back until she let out a small laugh and he wasn't sure what was funny, "I guess your right. He is Captain Pike," She replied pulling back from him and whipping her eyes.

"Uh... Thanks..." Farrah said to him not sure what she was thanking him for.

His words weren't exactly the best choice to comfort her but oddly enough it had worked. And she had felt better in his arms however brief it had been. She took a deap breath to calm herself down and continued walking to the bridge with Jim trailing after her.

Her mother used to say, "No use crying over spilt milk." But Farrah didn't think that saying could apply here. It had never helped her anyways, "who cries over spilt milk?" She would ask her mother after she said it. She didn't even particularly like milk when she was a kid.

* * *

Inside the _Narada_, Christopher pike laid strapped to a table as Nero loomed above him.

"You must have a lot of questions for me. I only have one for you," Nero said to Christopher Pike moving closer to him, "I need the subspace frequencies of Starfleet's border protection grids. Specifically, those surrounding Earth. Christopher, answer my question."

"No. You answer for the genocide you just committed against a peaceful..." Christopher responded before being cut off.

"No, I prevented genocide," Nero told him angrily moving away to walk to the other side of the slab, "In my time, where I come from, this is a simple mining vessel. I chose a life of honest labor, to provide for myself and the wife who was expecting my child," Nero told him turning on a hologram where a Romulan woman appeared, "I was off-planet, doing my job, while your Federation did nothing and allowed my people to burn while my planet broke in half. And Spock, he didn't help us. He betrayed us!"

Pike shook his head, "No, no, you're confused. You've been misinformed. Romulus hasn't been destroyed. It's out there right now. You're blaming the Federation for something that hasn't happened."

"It has happened! I watched it happen! I saw it happen! Don't tell me it didn't happen!" Nero shouted getting closer to his face before moving back, "And when I lost her, I promised myself retribution. And for twenty-five years, I planned my revenge against the Federation, and forgot what it was like to live a normal life. I did not forget the pain. That's the pain that every surviving Vulcan now shares. My purpose, Christopher, is to not simply avoid the destruction of the home that I love, but to create a Romulus that exists free of the Federation. You see, only then will she be truly saved. That is why I will destroy all the remaining Federation planets, starting with yours," Nero told him calmly.

"Then we have nothing left to discuss," Pike replied looking away from Nero.

Nero nodded and walked away from Christopher to a table where he took a Centaurian slug from a small container with long tweezers.

"You will give me the frequencies to disable Earth's defenses," Nero told him walking back over to him with the slug, "Centaurian slugs. They latch unto your brainstem, and release a toxin that will force you to answer. Frequencies please, sir."

"Christopher Pike, Captain, USS Enterprise, serial number..." Christopher started to say.

"As you wish," Nero said to him before Pikes mouth was forcibly opened.

Pike struggled violently, but to no avail and the slug was dropped inside his open mouth before they snapped his mouth closed forcefully and he was forced to swallow.

He could feel the intruder kicking and writhing as it went down his throat. He didn't expect it to be pleasant when it forced its way out of his stomach and to his spinal cord.

He tried not to think about that though, instead he thought about Farrah. His daughter that he loved dearly, he was doing this for her, to give her a chance.

* * *

"Have you confirmed that Nero is headed for Earth?" Spock asked Nyota as he walked past her station.

"Their trajectory suggests no other destination, Captain," Nyota replied

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Spock replied walking across the bridge

"Earth may be his next stop, but we have to assume every Federation planet's a target," Jim said to him sitting in the command chair.

"Out of the chair," Spock told him calmly as he did as asked.

"Well, if the Federation is a target, why didn't they destroy us?" Chekov asked him.

"Why would they? Why waste the weapons? We obviously weren't a threat," Sulu commented.

"That is not it. He said he wanted me to see something. The destruction of my home planet," Spock responded looking out the window.

Leonard McCoy was standing slightly off to side, and as usual was unable to contain himself, "How the hell did they do that, by the way? Where did the Romulans get that kind of weaponry?"

"The engineering comprehension necessary to artificially create a black hole may suggest an answer. Such technology could theoretically be manipulated to create a tunnel through space-time,"

"Dammit man, I'm a doctor, not a physicist," Leonard snapped, "Are you actually suggesting they're from the future?!"

Spock eyed him evenly,"If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth,"

"How poetic," Leonard commented sarcastically.

"Then, what would an angry, future Romulan want with Captain Pike?" Jim wondered aloud.

"As Captain, he does know details of Starfleet's defenses," Farrah mused from the tactical officers chair.

"What we need to do is catch up to that ship. Disable it, take it over, and get Pike back," Jim said to Spock.

"We are technologically outmatched in every way. A rescue attempt would be illogical," Spock replied putting his arms behind his back.

"Nero's ship would have to drop out of warp for us to overtake him," Chekov explained from his seat in the navigators chair.

"Then, what about assigning engineering crews to try and boost our warp gear?" Jim asked Chekov hopefully.

"Remaining power and crew are being used to repair radiation leaks on the lower decks..." Spock explained to Jim.

"...Okay, alright. There's got to be some way..." Jim said waking over to Spock.

"...we must gather with the rest of Starfleet, to balance the terms of the next engagement," Spock replied to Jim with conviction.

"There won't be a next engagement. By the time we've gathered, it'll be too late. But you say he's from the future, knows what's going to happen, then the logical thing is to be unpredictable," Jim argued standing in front of Spock.

"You are assuming that Nero knows how events are predicted to unfold. To the contrary, Nero's very presence has altered the flow of history, beginning with the attack on the _USS Kelvin_, culminating in the events of today, thereby creating an entire new chain of incidents that cannot be anticipated by either party," Spock replied walking closer to Jim.

"An alternate reality? An alternative past?" Farrah questioned listening to them intently, it was determining the fate of her father after all.

"Precisely," Spock nodded to her before standing up and walking back to the command chair,"Whatever our lives might have been, if the time continuum was disrupted, our destinies have changed," He turned to Sulu back in the command chair," Mr. Sulu, plot a course to the Laurentian system warp factor three," He instructed and the helmsman moved to do as he asked.

"Spock, don't do that. Running back to the rest of the fleet for a...a confab is a massive waste of time..." Jim said to Spock walking over to the command chair to stand in front of him.

"...orders issued by Captain Pike when he left..." Spock replied only to be cut off.

"He also ordered us to go back and get him. Spock, you are captain now! You have to be..." Jim replied shaking his head vigorously in disapproval.

"I am aware of my responsibilities, Mister... "

"Every second we waste, Nero's getting closer to his next target,"

"That is correct and why I am instructing you to accept the fact that I alone..." Spock started but again Jim interrupted him.

"I will not allow us to go backwards..." Jim argued.

"Jim!" McCoy shouted

"...instead of hunting Nero down!" Jim yelled raising his voice.

"Security. Escort him out," Spock said to them standing up.

Two security officers came over and grabbed Jim but he fought them off and runs over to Farrah.

"He's your father! Are you going to sit there while he!" He said pointing a finger at the direction of Spock,"Gives up!"

Farrah stood in surprise as the officers again attempted to apprehend Kirk, "I made him a promise," She explained quickly, "I promised if something went wrong I wouldn't try and rescue him," She told him sadly, her voice cracking, "I'm sorry," But she wasn't sure if she was saying it to Jim or her father.

Jim continued to fight off the security officers until Spock came up behind using the Vulcan nerve pinch knocking Jim unconscious in front of her.

"Get him off this ship," Spock said to the security officers.

* * *

Farrah watched from a window as the pod Jim was laying unconscious in was shot out of the _Enterprise_ into _Delta Vega_, a cold and icy planet with hostile animals. She knew he would be more than capable of protecting himself, but she worried for him.

When he had comforted her only a few hours earlier in the hallway she had felt safe in his arms, happy even. Happy when she was in such despair before he had arrived. She wondered what he had felt during their embrace. Did he feel the same comfort she had? Or maybe he felt she was a nuisance.

She couldn't help but feel guilty, she could have spoken up and said something to join in Jim's argument. Shouldn't it have been her in his place arguing with Spock to go back for her father?

But she hadn't done it. She'd promised her father she wouldn't attempt to rescue him. She was regretting that promise more than anything right now. She then realized that she had been a coward inside the bridge while Spock and Jim argued, and she still was one now as she watched Jims pod flat away.


	13. Chapter 13

_Disclaimer: I do not on Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah. :) _

_I wont lie and say the idea of Farrah going with Jim to Delta Vega didn't cross my mind, because it did... But in typing that part out I just wasn't finding any real reason that she could and should be sent there with him. And besides, I couldn't let Farrah intrude on Jim and Spock Primes first meeting either! _

_I think its kind of awesome that people on this site are from all over the world and in different time zones! julesjumper I usually update in the mornings my time! I am in Canada, really cool that your all the way in Germany! I would like to visit there one day! :)_

_Glad you all liked last chapter! Your reviews are awesome! _

* * *

Inside the pod, Jim Kirk woke up groaning, "Aggh. Computer, where am I?"

_"Location: Delta Vega. Class-M planet. Unsafe. There is a Starfleet outpost fourteen kilometers to the northwest. Remain in your pod until retrieved by Starfleet authorities,"_ The female computer voice replied.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Jim says to himself pushing open the pod doors and finding himself inside an ice crater.

He searches around the pod and gathers all the supplies before strapping it to his back and climbing out if the ice crater his pod caused.

He stands up and looks to his left seeing nothing but snow and ice. He slowly turns to the right and sees the same thing as far as the eye could see.

* * *

Sometime later, Jim was walking through a blizzard trying to find the outpost the computer spoke of.

So far he wasn't having very much luck.

All the walking did however give him time to think. _Damn that bastard_, he thought to himself. He had to send me to the worst place imaginable for speaking my mind. If that wasn't emotionally compromised he didn't know what was... On the other hand maybe the guy really was unfeeling, he sent him to this barren ice land didn't he?

What made it even worse was that Farrah hadn't joined him in the argument. It was her father for god's sake! So what if she promised him she wouldn't go after him. Promises were made to be broken. No one had trouble breaking promises to him in the past.

He wasn't going to pretend he understood her reasoning's. Hopefully she was up on that Starship right now arguing with Spock to go after the _Narada_, but he seriously doubted it.

If his father was in Pikes place he would have stolen the _Enterprise_ somehow just to rescue him even if he did promise his father he wouldn't go after him. That's what he told himself anyway, he didn't have any way of knowing what he would really do.

He couldn't begin to understand the relationship between a father and child, all he had was his uncle frank as a father figure. But he guessed it was probably killing her on the inside not to go looking for Pike. He had only known her for three years, but in that time they sometimes had a conversation or two.

He learned that her mother had passed away when she was nine years old. That was probably why Pike made Farrah make the promise not to go back for him. He had already lost his wife, he wasn't going to lose the last piece he had of her. And it seemed Farrah understood that.

Besides, he didn't say anything but she looked like a mess when he found her crying on the floor. And then he had for some reason pulled her into his arms and comforted her. It seemed like the right thing someone would do, but he couldn't help but feel...happy that it was him she was leaning on for support.

So that meant he couldn't be mad at her. But he would be mad at Spock.

He sighed and pulled out his communicator, "Stardate 2258.42 or 44... Whatever...Acting Captain Spock has marooned me on Delta Vega, what I believe to be a violation of Security Protocol 49.09 governing the treatment of prisoners aboard a Starship..." Kirk doesn't finish as a loud roaring came from behind him.

He turns around and sees a small animal with white fur charging towards him. But as it gets closer he realizes it's not so small after all.

"Whoah! Agh!" He yells out turning around and running in the opposite direction of the creature.

He turns to look behind him as he runs seeing the creature still chasing him and trips giving the chance for the creature to come closer before he gets up again and starts running.

The white beast is almost on him but before it can attack the ice breaks as something jumps up from underneath it. Jim falls to the ground and rolls on his back as the red creature, looking similar to a giant bug chews the animal that was chasing him before tossing it away and turning to Jim.

He stands up just as the giant bug like beast roars in his face showing its mouth filled with sharp teeth. Jim turns away from it and runs away with the larger creature now chasing him he turns to look, not noticing the cliff in front of him he falls and rolls to the bottom.

The creature stops at the top and roars at Jim but the weight of it proves too much for the icey cliff and it collapses bringing the creature down with it and after Jim who finally stops rolling.

He looks up as the beast falls right in front of him and they both stand up while Jim takes off running inside a cave that the red creature chases him into.

Something attacks his leg and drags him down that looks like a long thin tongue. Jim attempts to make the tongue let go of him but isn't having any luck.

To his left he sees a faint glow and then a man is there with a torch waving the flames in the creatures face causing it to back away and leave the cave.

Jim looks at the stranger in disbelief that he'd been saved, he'd thought for sure he was going to be eaten by that monster. He could see beneath his rescuers spacious coat that he was a Vulcan... A very old Vulcan, but unmistakably a member of that now nearly extinct race.

His rescuer continued to stare at him but he finally spoke, "James T. Kirk," He said with uncertainty in his voice as he squinted at the exhausted man.

"Excuse me?" Jim replied not sure how the stranger knew his name.

"How did you find me?" The man asked him with confusion laced in his voice.

"How do you know my name?" Jim asked him standing up to face him.

"I have been, and always shall be, your friend," The Vulcan replied.

Jim just laughed, this guy must be senile, he thought to himself, "Wha... oh, look... uh, I don't know you."

"I am Spock," The man replied.

Yup, definitely senile..."Bullshit," Jim replied looking him up and down.

* * *

Sometime later, Jim and...Older Spock as Jim had dubbed him (If he really was Spock) were sitting across from each other, a fire between them.

"It is remarkably pleasing to see you again, old friend. Especially after the events of today," Older Spock told him as he tended to the fire.

Jim nodded before standing up, "Uh, sir I appreciate what you did for me today, but, but if you were Spock you would know we're not friends at all. You hate me, you marooned me here for mutiny."

"Mutiny?" Older Spock replied surprised.

"Yes," Jim replied sighing.

"You are not the Captain?" Older Spock asked him in confusion.

"No, no. Umm... you're the Captain. Pike was taken hostage," Jim replied sadly looking away.

"By Nero," Older Spock mumbled looking away, "How is Farrah taking it?" Spock asked him.

Jim decided to ignore that he asked about Farrah, he was more interested on information about Nero, "What do you know about him?" He asked.

"He is a particularly troubled Romulan," Spock replied nodding to himself and standing up and walking over to Jim, "Please, allow me. It will be easier," He said to Jim holding out his hand.

"Whoah, whoah. What are you doing'?" Jim asked him backing away.

"Our minds. One and together," Older Spock says to him before resting his hand on Jim's face.

* * *

_"One hundred twenty-nine years from now, a star will explode, and threaten to destroy the galaxy,"_

Jims mind is suddenly imploded into images that are not his own. Of space and a star burning brighter than it should be.

_"That is where I'm from, Jim. The future. The star went supernova..."_ Older Spock's voice says in his mind as the star imploded,_"...consuming everything in its path."_

* * *

Next he sees an image of two Romulan men and Older Spock, _"I promised the Romulans that I would save their planet..."_

* * *

_"We outfitted our fastest ship."_ This time he sees a strange ship being built before he is transported inside a room where a large red ball is in the middle of a glass cylinder, _"Using red matter, I would create a black hole, which would absorb the exploding star,"_

* * *

_"I was en route, when the unthinkable happened. The supernova destroyed Romulus,"_ A vision of the supernova distorting Romulus, consuming it.

* * *

_"I had little time. I had to extract the red matter, and shoot it into the supernova," _A vision of Oder Spock loading a drop of the red matter and shooting it into the supernova before flying away from the black hole now there.

* * *

_"As I began my return trip, I was intercepted,"_ An image of Nero appears on Older Spock's transmission screen. _"He called himself Nero. Last of the Romulan Empire."_

* * *

_"In my attempt to escape, both of us were pulled into the black hole,"_ A vision of the _Narada_ being sucked in the black hole and the Older Spock's ship, the _Jellyfish_ entering after it.

* * *

_"Nero went through first. He was the first to arrive,"_ A vision of the _Narada _shooting at the _U.S.S Kelvin_ destroying it.

* * *

_"Nero spent the next twenty-five years awaiting my arrival, But what was years for Nero, was only seconds for me,"_ An image of the Jellyfish exiting the black hole and seeing the _Narada_ in front of him, _"I went through the black hole. Nero was waiting for me."_

* * *

_"He held me responsible for the loss of his world,"_ An image of Older Spock's captured ship inside the _Narada_ as Older Spock exits it and kneels before Nero. _"He captured my vessel, and spared my life for one reason."_

* * *

_"So that I would know his pain,"_ An image of Older Spock on the surface of Delta Vega, _"He beamed me here, so that I could observe his vengeance."_

* * *

Older Spock looks up at the sky as Vulcan is consumed in a black hole, _"As he was helpless to save his planet, I would be helpless to save mine,"_

* * *

_"Billions of lives lost, because of me, Jim. Because, I failed,"_ Older Spock tells him before he pulls away from the mind meld.

* * *

As the images fade from Jim's mind he was breathing heavy and crying, he had felt all of Older Spock's emotions during the mind meld.

"Forgive me. Emotional transference is an effect of the mind meld," Older Spock apologizes as Jim walks away to lean on the icy cavern wall.

"So you do feel?" Jim asks him, now sure that he is really Spock.

"Yes," Older Spock replies.

"Going back in time, you changed all our lives," Jim concludes turning back around to face him.

"Jim, we must go. There is a Starfleet outpost not far from here," Older Spock tells him walking away and to the cavern exit.

"Wait. Where you came from, did I know my father?" Jim questions him in hopefulness and despair.

Hopeful, that he had known the man. And despair, as he never did in this life.

"Yes. You often spoke of him as being your inspiration for joining Starfleet. He proudly lived to see you become Captain of the_ Enterprise_," Older Spock replied turning around to look at Jim.

"Captain?" Jim asks him in disbelief.

"A ship we must return you to as soon as possible," Older Spock replies turning away with Jim following closely behind him.

* * *

They exited the cavern and started walking in silence, but Jim couldn't take it anymore, "You asked about Farrah?"

"Indeed, I did," Older Spock replied nodding.

"Are you two like, together in your world?" Jim asked Older Spock.

"No Jim, Farrah is your wife," Older Spock informs him calmly as they walk.

"My wife?" Jim repeats in disbelief that he would ever be married.

"Yes, you two ironically met the same way her father and mother had," Older Spock replied.

"Yeah? And how is that?" Jim asked him, this not having been something Farrah shared with him.

"She was a field medic, her mother mentored her into it. Farrah helped you heal when you were injured," Older Spock informs him.

"Wait? Farrah's a doctor in your world?" Jim questioned him in disbelief.

Talk about opposites, the Farrah he knew was all about weapons, the art of destruction. The exact opposite of medicine, the art of healing.

"You two are not married?" Spock asked Jim turning to look at him.

"No...No, we're not. And I don't see it happening anytime soon," Jim replied, "What was our marriage like?" He asked Older Spock.

"I'm afraid I have said too much already, it's no use to dwell on things that are no longer certain," Older Spock replied looking ahead.

"Oh come on! You can't just leave me hanging," Jim said to Older Spock in disbelief needing to know more.

"No Jim," Older Spock replied, effectively ending their discussion.

* * *

"Warp three, sir," Sulu announced to Spock from the helmsman chair.

"Course one-five-one-mark-three,_ Laurentian system_, sir," Chekov added in.

"Thank you, gentlemen," Spock replied.

"You wanted to see me?" Leonard McCoy asked him.

"Yes, Doctor," Spock replied before turning away.

"Lieutenant Pike?" Spock called making Farrah stand up and walk over to them.

"Sir?" She asked.

"I am aware that James Kirk is a friend of both of yours," Spock replied walking around the bridge with Farrah and Leonard on either side of him, "I recognize that supporting me as you did must have been difficult," He told them before turning specifically to Farrah.

"And you, Lieutenant Pike, I know must have been extremely difficult as Captain Pike is your father," He told her but only reviewed a blank look in return.

"Is that a thank you?" Leonard asked him sarcastically taking Spocks attention away from Farrah as he had planned.

"I am simply acknowledging your difficulties," Spock replied stopping and turning to look at him.

"Permission to speak freely, sir," Leonard requested.

"I welcome it," Spock replied nodding.

"Do you? Okay, then," Leonard replied nodding as well before moving closer to Spock, "Are you out of your Vulcan mind? Are you making the logical choice, sending Kirk away? Probably, but the right one? You know, back home we got a saying, "If you're gonna ride in the Kentucky Derby, you don't leave your prize stallion in the stable."" Leonard told him spitefully.

As if having the emotionless Vulcan for a Captain wasn't bad enough. No, he had to send his best friend on a dangerous planet. And had to bring up Farrah's father like they hasn't just left him alone on an enemy ship, right to her face.

"A curious metaphor, Doctor, as a stallion must first be broken before it can reach its potential," Spock replied calmly.

"My god, man. You could at least act like it was a hard decision," McCoy hissed his temper rising.

"I intend to assist in the effort to re-establish communication with Starfleet. However, if crew morale was better served by my roaming the halls weeping, I will gladly defer to your medical expertise," Spock replied looking behind the two officers to see Sarek enter the bridge, "Excuse me," He tells them walking away.

"Green-blooded hobgoblin," McCoy mumbles just loud enough that Farrah hears him and a hint of a smile appears on her lips.

Leonard put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it in silent comfort before they both went their separate ways. He would hav liked to give her something more, but on the bridge s neither the place or time to do so.

* * *

_ I didn't put much detail in Farrah's alternate reality self, I just don't think Spock Prime would talk to Jim that much about it after finding out Jim and Farrah aren't in a relationship.. (yet) If Farrah and Jim were married in the alternate reality that Spock Prime came from then I don't think it would be when they are still in the Academy.. Spock Prime probably doesn't know the exact stardate so its to me reasonable that he might expect Jim and Farrah to be married when he meets Jim in the cave. And Jim asking if his father was alive when Jim was a kid in Spock Primes universe, and then him denying the relationship with Farrah gives Spock Prime the idea that things have been altered. And since Jim from Spock Primes universe and he were such good friends its reasonable that Farrah would be at the very least an acquaintance of Spock's! _

_I am so not sure if any of that made sense... If not I am sorry. _

_I kind of see Farrah being different because in the alternate reality her mother survived and was there to mentor her which in turn led to Farrah wanting to become a doctor and not a tactical officer! _

_If you have any questions, send me a PM or put them in a review! :)_


	14. Chapter 14

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah! :)_

* * *

On Delta Vega, Jim and Older Spock finally made it to the Starfleet outpost.

Jim pulled open the doorway letting Older Spock in ahead of him.

Spock walks inside the metal hallway as Jim pulls the door closed behind them.

They hear an alien language being said as Kirk pushes off his hood and yells, "Hello!"

They hear the sound of something metal falling to the ground before a small man appears at the end of the hall and starts to jog towards them.

Older Spock takes off his hood as they see a small green alien slow to a walk as he comes towards them with large black goggles that he takes of revealing just as black eyes.

He studies them for a few moments before gesturing for them to follow him through the outpost.

As they followed the small alien man, Jim couldn't help but wish he were back in the _Enterprise_, though wishing would get him nowhere.

After the mind meld with Older Spock, Jim could not deny the man he was walking beside now was really the bastard that sent him here. He would call it fate if he believed in any of that stuff. What are the odds that the Spock he knew, would send him here to Delta Vega. Where he would met his older and alternate self? Though he had to admit, he liked this Spock better than the one currently commanding the Enterprise.

He also couldn't stop his thoughts from thinking about Farrah, he wasnt angry with her, that much he had decided earlier. But now he had some new information, courtesy of Older Spock that left him..troubled.

He had never thought of himself as the type to get married, that would ever get married. He was only twenty-four, but already had a clear idea of what he wanted in life.

Or what he thought was clear...

Because if he thought really hard about it, nothing about it was clear. He had not planned on joining Starfleet, but one bar brawl had him signing up the very same day. All because of Captain Pikes words, and Farrah's. He hadn't really believed what the Captain was telling him until Farrah had walked out of the shadows all mysterious. He was doubtful until she told him that the Captain really did see something in him, and just like that, he believed.

So if he was going to one day get married, he was glad it was going to be her. She was pretty great, what he had seen of her anyways. He planned that after this whole mess with Nero was over, he would pursue her.

If they survived that is.

But Older Spock also said that things were no longer certain to be the same, but he was going to try his best to see that he and Farrah did have a relationship. Maybe not marriage, but something stronger than just a simple friendship.

The three of men walked inside a large room; around them was huge machinery producing heat, water and a host of other necessities for the outpost staff.

That seemed to consist of only the alien they were following and a Starfleet officer leaning back with his feet propped up on a console sound asleep.

The small alien tapped the man on the foot without hesitation causing him to wake up, "What?" He questioned his alien friend before noticing Jim and Older Spock,"You realize how unacceptable this is?" He claimed, his voice heavy with a Scottish accent.

"Fascinating," Spock Prime commented looking at the annoyed man.

"What?" Jim asked turning towards Spock Prime more than slightly confused.

"Yeah, I'm sure you're just doing your job, but could you not come a wee bit sooner?" The man said ignoring them taking his feet off the console and straightening up, "Six months I've been here, living off Starfleet protein nibs and a promise of a good meal," He told them picking up a small bag full of protein nibs and tossing them away.

"And I know exactly what's going on here, okay. Punishment, isn't it? Ongoing, for something that was clearly an accident," He defended himself pointing a finger at them, though Kirk had no idea what he was talking about.

"You are Montgomery Scott," Spock Prime declared abruptly.

"You know him?" Jim asked turning to him.

"Aye, that's me," Scott admitted readily, "You're in the right place. Unless there's another hard-working, equally starved Starfleet officer around," He said gesturing to himself.

"Me," The small alien on his side spoke up.

"Keenser! Get aff! Shut up!" Scott said turning to him, "You don't eat anythin. You eat like a bean, and you're done," He told him holding up his hand to indicate the size.

"I'm talking about food. Real food. But, you're here now, so thank you. Where is it?" Scott said turning back to Jim and Spock Prime while standing up.

"You are, in fact, the Mister Scott who postulated the theory of transwarp beaming?" Spock Prime said without mentioning anything about food as he and Jim turned to watch as Scott sat down in a different chair.

The engineer eyed the Vulcan warily, "That's what I'm talking about. How'd you think I wound up here?" Scott asked them gesturing around the outpost, "I had a little debate with my instructor on the issue of relativistic physics and how it pertains to subspace travel. He seemed to think that the range of transporting something like a, like a grapefruit, was limited to about a hundred miles. I told him that I could not only beam a grapefruit from one planet to the adjacent planet in the same system, which is easy by the way, I could do it with a life form. So, I tested it on Admiral Archer's prized beagle," Scott told them taking a cup and toasting the air before taking a sip.

"I know that dog. What happened to it?" Jim asked him his brows furrowing.

"I'll tell you when it reappears. I don't know. I do feel guilty about that," Scott replied looking away and grimacing a bit.

"What if I told you that your transwarp theory was correct? That it is indeed possible to beam onto a ship that is travelling at warp speed?" Spock Prime said to him moving closer.

"I think if that equation had been discovered, I'd have heard about it," Scott replied shrugging.

"The reason you haven't heard about it, Mister Scott, is because you haven't discovered it yet," Spock Prime explained to him.

"I'm a, uh, what... Are you from the future?" Scott asked in disbelief looking at the Vulcan and then Jim.

"Yeah. He is," Jim replied gesturing to Spock,"I'm not."

"Well that's brilliant. Do they still have sandwiches there?" Scott asked curiously, though it mostly had to do with the fact he hadn't had a sandwich in quite a while.

* * *

"Well, she's a wee bit dodgy. Shield emitters are totally banjaxed as well as a few other things," Scott told them stopping in front of an outpost shuttle, "In you go. So, the _Enterprise_ has had its maiden voyage, has it?" Scott asked Jim, "She is one well-endowed lady. I'd like to get my hands on her ample nacelles, if you'll pardon the engineering parlance," Scott told him looking down at Keenser who followed him inside the shuttle after Jim.

Once inside the shuttle, Scoot walked over and sat down beside Spock Prime, "Except, the thing is, even if I believed you, right, where you're from, what I've done, I don't, by the way," He clarified.

"You're still talking about beaming aboard the _Enterprise_ while she's traveling faster-than-light, without a proper receiving pattern," Scott said to him getting back up and walking to Jim, "Get off there! It's not a climbing frame," He said to Keenser seeing him sitting on a bar before continuing to talk to Spock Prime, "The notion of transwarp beaming is like, trying to hit a bullet with a smaller bullet whilst wearing a blindfold, riding a horse," He informed him leaning over Spock Primes shoulder to see what he was doing, "What's that?" He asked him.

"Your equation for achieving transwarp beaming," Spock Prime replied before standing up as Scott took his place.

"Get out of it," He mumbles looking at the screen, "Imagine that. It never occurred to me to think of space as the thing that was moving."

"You're coming with us, right?" Jim asked Spock Prime coming up behind him.

"No, Jim. That is not my destiny," Spock Prime replied turning around to face him.

Jim just stared at him in disbelief, "Your dest... He... the other Spock is not going to believe me. Only you can explain what's gonna happen."

"Under no circumstances, can he be aware of my existence. You must promise me this," Spock Prime replied.

"You're telling me I, I can't tell you that I'm following your own orders. Why not? What happens?" Jim asked him worriedly.

"Jim, this is one rule you cannot break. To stop Nero, you alone must take command of your ship," Spock Prime explained urgently.

"How? Over your dead body?" Jim asked him sarcastically.

"Preferably not. However, there is Starfleet regulation six-one-nine. Six-one-nine states that any command officer who's emotionally compromised by the mission at hand, must resign said command," Spock Prime informed him of what Jim already knew.

"So...so you're saying that I have to emotionally compromise you...guys?" Jim asked him just to clarify what he was saying.

"Jim, I just lost my planet. I can tell you, I am emotionally compromised," Spock Prime replied with sadness in his tone, "What you must do is get me to show it."

"Aye then, Laddie. Live or die, let's get this over with," Scott called out to Jim who with one last look at Spock Prime walked on the beaming pads beside Mr. Scott.

Keenser attempted to get on as well but Scott gently pushes him back, "You cannae come with me. Go on."

"You're coming back in time, changing history, it's cheating," Jim says to Spock Prime

"A trick I learned from an old friend," Stepping back Spock Prime retreated to the transporter console beside Keenser.

He raised one hand, the fingers separated into pairs, "Live long and prosper," He tells Jim before he and Scott beam away.

Spock Prime watches them go before looking down at the green alien who whimpers in sadness as his friend is gone.

* * *

As the _Enterprise_ flies through space at warp speed, Jim beams aboard in the engine room.

"Mister Scott!" He yells looking around the room smiling because it worked.

A pounding sound came from inside a vat beside Jim. The smile slides off his face as he turns around to look at it before realizing Mr. Scott is in there. He jumps over to it and presses his ear against the metal, "Mister Scott, can you hear me?"

Jim looks up as the vat makes a gurgling noise and inside a clear pipe attached to the vat Mister Scott appears looking at Jim in panic,"Uh... uh.. hold on a second! Oh no. Don't worry I... Oh. No, no!"

Jim chases after Scott's pipe route seeing it takes him directly to a spinning turbine area. He looks around and quickly finds a computer to open the release valve.

_"Turbine release valve activated,"_ A computer voice announces.

Jim looks over at the valve as it opens and Mister Scott comes falling to the floor with the water.

"You alright? You alright?" Jim asks running over to him and helping him sit up.

Scott spits up water and starts coughing before he answers, "My heads buzzing, and I'm soaked, but otherwise I'm fine!" He replies ecstatic that the beaming had worked.

* * *

On the bridge of the_ Enterprise,_ Farrah was monitoring her readings when an alert popped up, "Captain Spock?" She called looking up to see him turn to her, "I am detecting unauthorized access to water turbine control board, "She explained to him.

"Bring up the video," Spock requested walking over to her station.

She did as he asked bringing up a feed of two men in the corner of the camera stand up and walk away. Her eyes widened in shock, it looked to her that one of the men was Jim. But it was impossible for someone to beam aboard the ship while they were at warp. Wasn't it?

"Security, seal the engineering deck. We have intruders in turbine section three. Set phasers to stun," Spock said turning on the communicator but not taking his eyes off the video.

Farrah looked through some more of her readings and what she found shocked her even more, "Captain, we've had unauthorized beaming inside engineering," She informed Spock showing him the readings.

He nodded and stepped away from her to go back to his command chair.

* * *

Jim and Scott run wildly out of engineering until security catches up with them.

"Halt!" One of the two officers shouts holding their phaser guns out at them. Jim and Scott turn around to find another security guard walking towards them.

"Come with me, cupcake!" He shouts at Jim using the name Jim had called him three years ago in Iowa.

* * *

Jim and Mister Scott were roughly escorted inside the bridge by three security officers who still held their phaser guns pointed at them.

They received stunned looks, mostly directed at Jim but Scott received some as well. Many of the looks from the people on the bridge included, Sulu, Chekov, Uhura and Farrah. Though Farrah had thought it was Jim on the video screen she couldn't have been sure until now.

She looked away from him in shame as he made eye contact with her. It had hardly been more than a day since he had been forcefully removed from the Enterprise.

She thought herself a coward, and could only speculate that he did too. She couldn't exactly blame him for thinking that, it's what she was. What kind of daughter leaves their own father on an enemy vessel?

Spock looked up from speaking with his father as they walked inside, quickly walking over to them, He spared a glance at Jim before turning to the man he didn't know, "Who are you?" He asked him.

Mister Scott just turned slightly and looked at Jim, "I'm with him."

"He's with me," Jim confirmed looking at Spock.

"We're travelling at warp speed. How did you manage to beam aboard this ship?" Spock asked them and behind him, Farrah turned to watch and listen interested in it herself.

"You're the genius, you figure it out," Jim replied managing a small grin even though he was exhausted.

"As Acting Captain of this vessel, I order you to answer the question, " Spock replied, it was not a shout, but more than a request.

"Well I'm not telling, Acting Captain," Jim replied as Spock was clearly taken aback and had no reply of his own, Jim continued, "What? Now, that doesn't frustrate you, does it? My lack of cooperation. That doesn't make you angry?" Jim asked him as Scott looked between them.

Turning away from Jim, Spock studied the stranger who was brought to the bridge with him, "Are you a member of Starfleet?"

"I.. um.. yes," Scott stuttered out before changing the subject, "Can I get a towel, please?"

"Under penalty of court-martial, I order you to explain to me how you were able to beam aboard this ship while moving at warp," Spock questioned him.

"Well..." Scott replied getting ready to explain it to him.

"Don't answer him," Jim said to Scott before he could start explaining, recalling what Older Spock had said.

"You will answer me," Spock insisted to a torn looking Scott.

"I'd rather not take sides," Scott replied looking between them and showing an uncomfortable grin.

"What is it with you, Spock?" Jim asked the man in question walking up closer to him, "Hmm? Your planet was just destroyed, your mother murdered, and you're not even upset, "He said to the Vulcan, trying to get a rise of emotion.

Spock stared back at him, hard and unblinking, "If you're presuming that these experiences in any way impede my ability to command this ship, you are mistaken."

"And yet you were the one who said fear was necessary for command. Did you see his ship? Do you see what he did?" Jim reminded him of what he'd said in the tribunal.

"Yes, of course I did," Spock replied.

"So, are you afraid or aren't you?" Jim challenged him.

"I will not allow you to lecture me about the merits of emotion," Spock claimed.

"Then why don't you stop me?" Jim asked him tilting his head slightly.

"Step away from me, Mister..." Spock started before being interrupted as a vein throbbed on his temple.

Jim didn't move, "What is it like not to feel anger or heartbreak or the need to stop at nothing to avenge the death of the woman who gave birth to you?"

"Back away from me..." Spock repeated.

"You feel nothing!" Jim persisted, "It must not even compute for you! You never loved her!"

Before anyone could blink, Spock let out a roar and punched Jim across the face sending him flying back. He grabbed him and tossed Jim on a console. Spock became a whirlwind of striking hands and darting fingers. Every blow Jim tried to strike was blocked. Blood began to appear on his face as Spock pounded into him relentlessly.

As Jim fought back, Spock tossed him back on the console and before Jim could soon clear away, Spock clamped a hand over his throat. Jim's hands flew up to Spock's in an attempt to pry them off, but it was no use as the Vulcan was too strong.

Farrah who had stood up in alarm when the first punch was thrown attempted to walk over and help Jim but before she could take another step two hands fell on her shoulders holding her back. She looked up seeing Lenny standing there behind her staring at his choking friend.

"Let 'em fight," He whispered to her.

Farrah turned her head back to watch them in barely concealed worry. Jim's face was starting to turn a sickly blue color, and if anything, Spock only held on tighter.

"Spock!" Sarek, who had been silent through the entire fight finally spoke.

Spock continued to hold on to Jim's throat but his hold seemed to be loosening as he jumped back from Jim who immediately burst into a fit of coughing and then taking deep gulps of air. Spock watched him for a moment before looking up at his father before walking away from them both to stand in front of McCoy and in turn Farrah.

"Doctor, I am no longer fit for duty. I hereby relinquish my command, based on the fact that I have been emotionally compromised. Please note the time and date in the ship's log," Spock told him before leaving the bridge with Sarek following close behind as the entire crew of the bridge watched in silence.

"I like this ship!" Scott declared in the ensuing silence, "You know, it's exciting," He explained looking around at the shocked bridge.

"Well, congratulations, Jim," McCoy commented taking his hands of Farrah's shoulders, "Now we've got no Captain and no goddamn first officer to replace him,"

"Yeah we do," Jim replied standing up and taking the Captain's chair.

"What?" Leonard questioned him.

"Captain Pike made him first officer," Farrah informed Leonard and the entire bridge.

"You've got to be kidding me," McCoy blurted out in disbelief.

"Thanks for the support," Jim told him in reply.

"I sure hope you know what you're doing, Captain," Nyota said all but hissing the title walking over to him, angered about Spock.

"So do I," Jim replied nodding before turning on his communicator to broadcast over the ship.

"Attention crew of the _Enterprise,_ this is James Kirk. Mister Spock has resigned commission and advanced me to Acting Captain. I know you were all expecting to regroup with the fleet, but I'm ordering a pursuit course of the enemy ship to Earth. I want all departments at battle stations and ready in ten minutes. Either we're going down, or they are. Kirk out," Jim told the crew surprising those who had not been on the bridge to witness his fight with Spock.

Jim looked up at Farrah to see her giving him a small tight smile, In thanks? Thanks that they were going after her father? He couldnt really be sure what it was for, so he gave her a small one back paired with a nod, watching as she walked away from Bones and went back to her station.

* * *

_Jim is finally back on the Enterprise! I am very happy about that because now I can start to push their relationship! :) _


	15. Chapter 15

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah! :)_

* * *

On the bridge of the _Enterprise_, Jim stood over a console surrounded by Sulu, Bones, Farrah and Nyota. A strategy session in full swing. Jim didn't have any real strategy of his own other than to somehow catch up with Nero. So he was willing to listen to any suggestions they made, no matter how outrageous they were.

"Whatever the case, we need to get aboard Nero's ship undetected," Jim said to them as they continued arguing for the best way to defeat Nero.

"And just go in their guns blazing, Jim. No..." Bones told him shaking his head.

"I agree with Lenny, we need a tactical plan," Farrah added looking over at Lenny and nodding. As chef tactical officer it was her job to anticipate enemy's moves and find a way to beat them.

"I'm telling you the math doesn't support..."Sulu started but he was interrupted.

"Kepten Kork, Kepten Kork!" Chekov shouted running over to them and tapping Jim on the shoulder making him turn around.

"Yes, Chekov. What is it?" Jim asked as they all turned to look at Chekov.

"Based on the fastest course from Wulcan, I have projected that Nero will travel past Saturn. Like you said, we need to stay inwisible to Nero or he'll destroy us. If Mister Scott can get us to warp factor four, and if we drop out of warp behind one of Saturn's moons, say, Titan, the magnetic distortion from the planet's rings will make us inwisible to Nero's sensors," Chekov started explaining as Mr. Scott walked over rubbing his hair with a towel, "From there, as long as the drill is not actiwated we can beam aboard the enemy ship," Chekov told him urgently.

"Aye, that might work," Scott told them nodding and looking at the genius.

"Wait a minute, kid, how old are you?" McCoy asked Chekov in disbelief.

"Be nice," Farrah hissed hitting his shoulder while looking at Chekov.

"Seventeen, sir," Chekov replied proudly.

"Oh, oh good, he's seventeen," McCoy replied gesturing to Chekov and ignoring Farrah.

"Doctor," Someone called making them all turn and look, seeing it was Spock who had spoken, "Mister Chekov is correct. I can confirm his telemetry. If Mister Sulu is able to maneuver us into position, I can beam aboard Nero's ship, steal back the black hole device, and if possible, bring back Captain Pike," Spock told them walking over.

"I won't allow you to do that, Mister Spock," Jim replied shaking his head with an uncommon seriousness to his tone.

"Romulans and Vulcans share a common ancestry. Our cultural similarities will make it easier for me to access the ship's computer to locate the device," Spock explained, acting as though he hadn't just attacked Jim, "Also, my mother was Human, which makes Earth the only home I have left, "He told them but his eyes went to Nyota.

Farrah could hardly believe what she was hearing. There was a chance that her father would come home. And a chance that they could defeat Nero...

She had not forgotten the promise she had made to her father, and couldn't help but curse herself for making it. They had gotten out of danger when everything had gone wrong, but now they were on their way back to earth.

It wasn't her fault the _Narada _and coincidentally her father were there as well.

It was time for her to stop acting like a coward, and step up. She hadn't supported Jim the first time, and because of that they had only wasted time. She wasn't going to waste the second chance she had been givin.

"I'm coming with you," Jim told him stepping forewords.

"I would cite regulation, but I know you will simply ignore it," Spock replied, in his way of agreeing.

"See, we are getting to know each other," Jim replied smirking before slapping Spock on the shoulder and walking past him with Farrah following him out of the bridge.

"Captain?" Farrah called out to him making him turn around, though he knew she was there.

"Yes, Lieutenant?" He replied looking at her with a grin.

"I request permission to join you and Mr. Spock in transporting to the _Narada_," She asked him with a hint of a pleading undertone.

"What about that promise?" Jim asked her raising an eyebrow.

"I promised him if something went wrong, I wouldn't go rescue him..." Farrah replied trailing off and looking away from him, "And something went wrong, but there is still a chance that I can rescue him. And I was wrong to make that promise, because it's one I can't keep. It's killing me inside just thinking about how I left him there..." She admitted to him trailing off at the end.

She felt like crying, but she had been crying enough already so held them back. They wouldn't help her argument, "Besides, someone's got to be there to watch your back," She told him with a hint of a smile

Jim sighed then nodded a small genuine smile forming on his face,"Alright fine. Get your phaser gun and whatever else you need. We're leaving as soon as we're in position. Meet us at the transporter room," Jim told her nodding his head in the direction of the transport room.

Farrah smiled and walked the two steps between them before pulling him in for a quick hug, "Thank you," She whispered before pulling back and walking away.

* * *

Onboard the _Narada_, Nero looked at the screens, seeing them hovering above Earth, more specifically San Francisco where the Starfleet Academy was based.

"Prepare the drill," Nero commanded to his officers who dutifully did as commanded.

* * *

On the outside of the Narada, a hull opens up as the drill platform lowers to Earth.

* * *

"All stop in three... two... one," Sulu announced as the _Enterprise_ flew out of a gas cloud by Saturn.

"Give me one-quarter impulse burst for five seconds. I'll do the rest with thrusters, on my mark," Sulu said to Chekov.

"Aye," Chekov replied getting ready.

"Fire," Sulu called as the _Enterprise_ hovered moving through the cloud of gases before coming to a halt.

"Transporter room," Sulu called into the comm.

* * *

Inside the transporter room, Mr. Scott sat in the chief transport technician's chair.

"We are in position above Titan," Sulu said over the comm.

"Really? Fine job, Mister Sulu. Well done," Scotty praised him.

The doors opened and Jim, Spock, Farrah and Nyota all walked inside the room.

"How are we, Scotty?" Jim asked the engineer.

"Unbelievably, sir, the ship is in position," Scotty replied grinning as Jim stopped at the console while the other three walked to the transport pads.

"Whatever happens, Mister Sulu, if you think you have the tactical advantage, you fire on that ship, even if we're still onboard. That's an order," Jim ordered the helmsman through the comm beside Scotty.

"Yes, sir," Sulu replied nodding to himself.

"Otherwise, we'll contact the Enterprise when we're ready to be beamed back," Jim finished before stepping away from the comm.

"Good luck," Sulu told him.

Jim walked on the transport pads to see Spock and Nyota having an intimate moment, kissing each other. Jim looked at them in surprise and turned over to Farrah who was standing at the transport pad behind him looking away to attempt to give them some privacy.

"I will be back," The two of them heard Spock say to Nyota.

"You better be. I'll be monitoring your frequency," She replied breaking away from him.

"Thank you, Nyota," Spock tells her before she gives Spock one last kiss and steps away from the transport pad.

Jim turned to look at Farrah, who seeming to sense his gaze turned to look at him in question.

He grinned at her, "Maybe we should kiss? You know, for luck," Jim told her with a hopeful tone.

Farrah just raised an eyebrow in reply so he turned away from her nodding to himself,"Alright, maybe after," He mumbled to himself unaware that she had heard him.

"Okey-dokey then. If there's any common sense in the design of the enemy ship, I should be putting you somewhere in the cargo bay. There shouldn't be a soul in sight," Scotty explained looking up at them.

"Energize," Jim requested.

The three of them were each wrapped in a swirling white glow, beaming them from the _Enterprise_.

* * *

The three of them arrived in the _Narada_ cargo bay and found themselves surrounded by many Romulans. Obviously Scotty had been wrong in thinking they would be alone there.

The three of them quickly drew their phaser guns setting them to kill, switching from blue to red. The Romulans start shooting first, and the three of them start shooting back while taking off for cover.

The duck behind pieces of machinery before continuing to fire at the Romulans in defense and killing some of them.

The three of them duck behind a large black pipe before counting to three and simultaneously popping back up and firing at the enemy officers.

"Captain, we have Starfleet officers aboard the ship. One of them is Vulcan," An officer says into the comm while digging the blasts.

* * *

Inside the Narada Bridge Nero goes over to the comm to listen, "No," He whispers harshly before he turns and runs to get his lieutenant, "Ayel!" He shouts down at the officers and continuing to run from the bridge with Ayel now following him.

* * *

Farrah, Jim and Spock continue firing at the Romulan officers.

Farrah jumped over the pipe and ducked behind a different piece of machinery and firing at the other Romulans.

Behind her Jim did the same but ducked behind a piece of machinery to her left.

Farrah let out two more shots towards a Romulan officer and then all was silent except the sounds of the ships engine. But no more blasts ere heard.

"I'll cover you," Jim told Spock who had just come up behind him.

"Are you certain?" Spock asked him.

"Yeah, I got ya," Jim confirmed loading up his phaser.

"We've got you," Farrah corrected diving over beside Jim.

Spock nodded and took off, ducking behind things until he reached a dying Romulan, where he mind melded with him.

A Romulan officer came up behind Spock but was promptly shot by both Farrah and Jim who came up behind him and then walked over to stand guard behind Spock, back to back.

"Do you know where it is? The black hole device?" Jim asked Spock as his eyes slowly opened.

"And Captain Pike," Spock added getting up and taking off with Jim and Farrah following him.

* * *

In the sky on Earth the drill starts up, pulsing orange energy into the planet.

* * *

At the Starfleet academy, cadets are running around frantically seeing the beam of energy very close to them and beside the Golden Gate Bridge.

* * *

Inside the _Enterprise_, Nyota runs towards the bridge, "Move!" She shouts to the people in her way.

"They have actiwated the drill," Chekov announces just as Nyota walks in.

"Communication and transport are inoperative," Nyota announces before looking at the helmsman,"Sulu, please tell me you have them. Otherwise, we won't be able to beam them back," She says to him.

"Kirk and Spock are on their own now," Sulu replies looking at his screens which are being interfered with because of the drill.

* * *

Back on the _Narada_, Jim and Farrah follow Spock to a hangar where they find a ship Jim recognizes as the _Jellyfish_ from the mind meld he had experienced with Older Spock.

They stop to stare at the ship for a few moments marveling at its uniqueness before taking off again towards the open doorway.

* * *

"I foresee a complication. The design of this ship is far more advanced than I've anticipated," Spock tells them looking around at the very advanced interior.

_"Voice print and face recognition analysis enabled. Welcome back, Ambassador Spock,"_ A female computer voice announces.

"Strange," Farrah whispers.

"Wow, that's weird," Jim mutters at the same time before leaving the room with Farrah following him.

"Computer, what is your manufacturing origin?" Spock asked the computer.

_"Stardate twenty-three eighty-seven. Commissioned by the Vulcan Science Academy,"_ It replied.

Spock turned and ran inside the flight deck after Jim and Farrah.

"It appears that you have been keeping important information from me," Spock says to Jim but he brushes him off.

"You'll be able to fly this thing, right?" Jim asks him instead.

"Something tells me I already have," Spock replied looking around.

"Good luck," Jim wished him before turning around to exit the ship.

"The statistical likelihood that our plan will succeed is less than four point three percent," Spock informed them making them turn around to look at him.

"It'll work," Jim replied nodding.

"Farrah, I am aware of the close relationship you and Uhura share. In the event that I do not return, please tell Lieutenant Uhura..." Spock started to say to her before Jim cuts him off:

"Spock, it'll work," Jim tells him before turning around again with Farah and leaving the ship for real this time.

Spock turns to the chair and sits down, it automatically turning around and starting up for him, "Fascinating," He comments.

_"Start-up sequence initiated,"_ The computer voice tells him.

* * *

Outside the ship, Farrah and Jim stop and turn around watching as the ship takes off through the interior of the Narada.


	16. Chapter 16

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah! :) _

* * *

Farrah and Jim walked out of a tunnel to the drill area, there phasers positioned in front of them and ready to be used.

They walked further out into the open and see Nero standing there on a walk way staring at them.

"Nero order your men to disable the drill or I will- "Jim shouts up at him but is interrupted as Ayel knocks him in the head with the back of a gun sending Jim falling to the floor and his phaser flying over the edge.

Farrah reacted quickly and fired at Ayel but he dodged the blast and fired one of his own at her. Farrah jumped out of the way and fell to the floor. Ayel came up behind her and kicked the phaser gun away from her. He used one hand to haul her up by her ponytail. Instinctively Farrah reached up to his hands in an attempt to get him to let go.

Ayel just sneered down at her and dropped his gun to the floor before using the now free hand to pull her up by her arms and tossing her into a wall.

While doing this, Nero came down from his spot and came to stand above Jim as he was sprawled out on the floor recovering from the hit to his head.

"I know your face, from Earth's history," Nero sneers down at him before reaching down and picking Jim up with his shirt and tossing him back.

Nero walks towards to him, grabbing Jim by his neck and pulling him up by one hand; Using the other to punch him in the stomach. Jim attempts to fight back but is still recovering from the other hits he's already received. Nero tosses him away causing Jim to land on his hands and knees as Nero walks up behind him and kicks him back down.

Farrah pulled herself up as quickly as she could with the room spinning as it was. Her head had taken the brunt of the impact on the wall and she realized she probably had a concussion if the sticky feeling on her forehead had anything to say. She brought a hand and touched it, having an idea what the sticky wet stuff was she was not surprised to see dark red blood on her fingertips.

She was so dazed she had forgotten all about the cause of her accident with the wall. Ayel taking this opportunity approached her from behind and turned her around to face him causing her eyes to widen in shock and realization.

She remembered what had happened much to slowly as the next thing she knew Ayel had lifted her from the ground by her neck, closing off her airway in his strong grip.

Farrah brought her hands up to his to try and pry his hands away from her while attempting to kick him away from with her legs. This didn't seem to affect him at all, and made the act of lifting her from the ground with one hand seem effortless.

Jim looked over and saw Ayel choking Farrah as she fought against him. He could see panic in her eyes but it was her face that was the most worrying, never mind her forehead covered with blood, her face was starting to turn an unnatural blue color.

He had tried fighting Nero but the Romulans had a superior strength over humans.

A fact he despised.

Here he was facing off with the man who had killed his father, destroyed Vulcan and all he was doing was becoming another victim, taking Farrah down with him. He shouldn't have ever allowed her to come with him and Spock; it was going to be his fault if she died here.

* * *

Elsewhere, Spock fires at a wall of the ship with the guns of the _Jellyfish,_ breaking through to the outside.

* * *

Nero came up behind Jim to stand above him using both hands to start to choke Jim as he struggled against him.

"James T. Kirk was considered to be a great man. He went on to captain the _U.S.S Enterprise_, but that was another life. A life I will deprive you of, just like I did your father," Nero tells him with anger looking into Jim's blue eyes with maliciousness.

* * *

Outside the_ Narada _and above earth, Spock flies the _Jellyfish_ towards the drill platform.

He opens fire on the tether connecting the drill to the _Narada _destroying it. The drill falls to the earth only a few yards from the Golden Gate Bridge, very nearly destroying it.

* * *

Farrah stared at Ayel as he used another of his hands to hold on her neck, he was squeezing just hard enough to cause her pain, but left a small enough opening for her to still breathe, a fact he was very aware of.

"You're species is weaker than I expected, even if you are a female..." He told her with a smirk.

Farrah's hands went slack, realizing that trying to pry Ayels hands from her neck was impossible and it was only causing her more stress.

Ayel smirked at her before squeezing her neck tighter effectively cutting off her airway...

* * *

_"Captain Nero, the Vulcan ship has been taken, the drill has been destroyed,"_ A voice announced over the comm.

"Spock! Spooockk!" Nero yells out to the ship in anger letting go of Jim's neck and standing up.

Nero looks around for...something before not even glancing at Jim he jumps off the walkway to another taking off towards the Bridge.

Jim struggles to breathe and looks up to see Ayel still holding Farrah suspended in the air as she struggles to speak to him.

"You can't even speak...What?" Ayel asks her with a smirk hardly giving any thought to Jim having too much amusement choking the human female.

"I got your gun," Farrah tells him before shooting him.

Ayel let's go of her from the shock of being hit, the blast sending him over the edge of the walk away and falling down over a hundred feet.

Farrah falls to the floor gasping for air, greedily taking in huge gulps of it and turning to lay on her back.

Jim manages to get up and walks over to her while still taking deep breaths himself.

He kneeled beside Farrah and gently helped her sit up while studying the bloody cut on her forehead.

"I think they have a fetish for choking people," Jim commented in a raw voice to her trying to lighten the solemn mood, though his eyes held concern for her.

Farrah cracked a smile and almost let out a small laugh but winced instead, her throat still tender and already bruising. It would be all turtle necks for her for the next few week she thought to herself happy she had actually just survived.

She brought a hand up to her head and attentively touched the cut on her forehead that had stopped bleeding, but it would definitely need medical attention soon. She winced as she applied to much pressure on it, her eyes scrunching up in pain.

"You alright?" Jim asked her studying the cut that looked pretty deep to him; he wasn't a doctor though and only knew to keep it clean. This seemed almost impossible as they were in a Romulan ship that looked nothing like the pristine cleanliness of the _Enterprise._

Farrah nodded, "I'm fine," She told him her voice hoarse and just above a whisper.

She looked at him and after hearing her speak, the look in Jim's eyes only became more serious and full of worry for...well it seemed like the worry was for her.

She couldn't help it as part of her felt delighted in the fact he was concerned for her as she was just as concerned for him.

"I'll get you to Bones; I'll have Scotty beam you up. The drill has stopped," Jim told her getting ready to send a message to Sulu.

"No," Farrah told him forcefully standing up pushing through the pain that racked her entire body from being thrown around, "I'm not leaving without my father," She told him forcefully.

Jim looked like he wanted to argue before thinking better of it and nodding before taking off with Farrah right behind him.

* * *

On the_ Narada_ bridge Nero ran inside, "Open a channel," He commanded his communications officer:

"Yes, sir," The officer replied connecting to the _Jellyfish_.

"Spock, I knew I should have killed you when I had the chance," Nero said to Spock as Nero appeared on Spock's screen.

"I hereby confiscate this illegally obtained ship and order you to surrender your vessel. No terms," Spock started to say to him but Nero ignored him and pointed at his tactical officer.

"That ship, take it out," Nero ordered the Officer

"Sir, if you ignite the red matter..." The Officer started to explain but was only cut off.

"I want Spock dead, now!" Nero yelled at him in anger, his vengeance closing his mind from any rational thoughts.

The _Narada _sends torpedoes at the Jellyfish but Spock went into warp speed, away from the_ Narada_ and drawing it away from earth.

"He went to warp, sir," An officer told Nero as he looked at the viewing screen.

"Go after him!" Nero shouted seething in anger.

"Yes, sir!" The officer replied afraid of what his Captain might do if he refused.

The _Narada _enters warp following after Spock, and away from earth.

* * *

Spock pilots the Jellyfish out of warp turning it around just as the _Narada _comes out of warp as well.

Spock pilots the _Jellyfish_ straight towards the massive ship.

"What's he doing?" Nero questions as he watched from the viewing screen as Spock's ship comes closer.

_"Ambassador Spock, you are on a collision course,"_ The computer in the _Jellyfish_ tells Spock..

Nero watches as Spock makes no attempt to divert his course. His anger rises to uncontrollable levels, "Fire everything!" He yells out to his officers.

Too afraid to deny their captain, the officers do as he asks and fire at the _Jellyfish_ with all the torpedoes.

_"Incoming missiles. If the ship is hit, the red matter will be ignited,"_ The computer in the _Jellyfish_ announces to Spock.

"Understood," Spock replies staring straight ahead.

* * *

On the _Narada_ Bridge Nero can hardly keep back the anticipation as he watched his torpedoes numbering over fifty close in on Spock's ship.

"Captain, I've picked up another ship," One of the officers announces looking at his screens before turning to his Captain.

The _Enterprise_ exits warp and starts firing phaser beams at the_ Narada _torpedoes heading straight for Spock's ship destroying them.

* * *

Jim and Farrah walk inside the _Narada_ torture room with phasers ready.

The room was dark and damp, they look around and see Christopher Pike still fastened to the platform un-moving. Farrah stared at him in shock her hopes plummeting before a faint moan reached their ears. Nothing could have been more uplifting than that moment as she rushed towards her father.

The captain was still alive.

She didn't even notice the Romulan man standing in the corner ready to shoot her, or when Jim shot him.

Farrah rushed over to Christopher and holstered her phaser gun while looking down at him.

"What are you doing here?" Her father asked her in confusion.

"Breaking a promise," Farrah replied smiling down at him as she and Jim start unstrapping him.

The two of them don't even notice the other Romulan man come up behind them until Christopher pulls Farrah's phaser gun from her holster and shoots him.

Farrah turns to her father in shock and in thanks before watching him fall back on the table in exhaustion from sitting up to take the gun from her.

* * *

The _Jellyfish_ flies straight towards the _Narada_ Bridge, many of the officers leaving their posts for cover as Spock gives no sign of stopping.

* * *

In the _Narada _torture room Jim pulls Christopher off the table supporting him as he doesn't seem to be able to move his legs.

"_Enterprise_ now!" Jim shouts into the comm as Farrah steps back for beaming to make it easier for Scotty.

* * *

Spock pilots the _Jellyfish_ straight into the _Narada_ Bridge, not appearing to notice the white glow surrounding him.

The _Jellyfish_ crashes into the _Narada_, destroying itself and part of the _Narada_ while also igniting the red matter

* * *

Inside the transporter room on the _Enterprise_ the four of them appear. Jim and Christopher land on the same beaming pad, Farrah quickly taking her father's other shoulder and putting it around her neck.

Spock looks over at them as Jim grins and looks ahead "Nice timing, Scotty," He praises the engineer.

"Ha ha ha ha! I've never beamed four people from two targets onto one pad before," Scotty replies holding up the fingers while grinning in glee.

"Farrah! Jim!" McCoy yells running into the room followed by two nurses and Nyota.

"Bones!" Jim shouts out at the same time Farrah calls,"Lenny!"

"I've got him," McCoy tells them taking Jim's place underneath Pike and taking him in the direction of the med bay.

"That was pretty good!" Scotty tells them but he is ignored as they leave the room.

Christopher turns to look at Farrah to see her helping him to the med bay, "What are you doing here?" He asks her.

"What do you mean what am I doing here? Why wouldn't I be here! You're my dad!" She tells him in reply.

"I'll be fine. You go up to the Bridge, "Christopher tells her.

"What? No!" Farrah replies in shock.

"As Captain, I order you to the bridge to retake your place," Christopher tells her.

"You're not the Captain anymore," Farrah points out.

Christopher just gives her a look that says-_you wanna bet?_

Farrah groans and kisses him on the cheek before turning eyes blazing on Lenny, "Take care of him!" She tells him as a nurse comes over and takes her place.

"With the look you're giving me I wouldn't think of doing anything else," Lenny replied as she nodded and runs away from them and to the bridge just catching up behind Jim, Spock and Nyota.

* * *

_This is so amazing! The turn out for this has been so good! I just want to say thank you and that you guys are amazing!_

_There is really only...two chapters left of the movie before I am done it! _

_ And also, I just want to let you all know what I am going to be doing after those two chapters! _

_Since Into Darkness doesn't come out on DVD for a few months, and since I didn't memorize the movie I am going to be writing about what happened between Star Trek 2009 and Into Darkness. _

_No, the plot(s) that I will be using for that are not of my own creation. In fact, did anyone know that there is five graphic novels set between 2009 and Into Darkness that actually lead up to the sequel? I didn't know about them until about a week and a half ago when I was trying to figure out what to do.. I went out and bought them and if you are a fan of graphic novels then I definitely recommend you read them! _


	17. Chapter 17

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah! :)_

_I was happy that Farrah got her dad back to! You should go see Into Darkness! Its so good! And with writing hat happens in between the movies it gives me more time to start there romance! If you ever get the chance go buy them! I think you can get them on an Ereader if you have one of those! _

_I usually have a chapter written about 3-4 days ahead of when I am posting it, like this one I already have the next three after it. But what I usually do is leave them and then the night before I edit them! _

_I could totally see Pike doing that! I guess we will see his reaction when it comes to it!_

_You haven't asked the question before (not that I remember) anyways, I will just keep all of it in this story and wont be making a separate one. I just like keeping everything all together, its easier for me! _

_Thanks to everyone else who reviewed! You are truly amazing. Its only chapter 17 and There is already 83 reviews.. thats amazing to me!_

* * *

Farrah quickly walked over to her station blazing with fury at the state her father was in because of _Nero_, she practically sneered the name in her head.

She didn't even have to say anything as the woman in her chair that had taken over her place when she left quickly scrambled from the chair.

"Kepten! The enemy is losing power! Their shields are down sir," Chekov announces to Jim as he walks past with Spock to stand in front of the viewing screen.

"Hail them now," He orders as Chekov does as he says.

"Aye," Chekov replies doing so.

* * *

Inside the _Narada_, the red matter pulls together, creating a black hold in the center of the ship causing alarms to go off.

Nero appears on the view screen as it flickers in and out, the black hole interfering with the signals.

"This is Captain James T. Kirk of the _U.S.S Enterprise_. Your ship is compromised. Your too close to the singularity to survive without assistance, which we will provide," Jim tells Nero staring at the man who had killed his father in the face.

Of all the possible things Jim could have said to Nero, this was not one that his fellow crew members had anticipated, certainly not Spock.

"Captain, what are you doing?" Spock asks in a whisper to Jim turning around so Nero can't see what he is saying.

Jim turns around as well and whispers back to Spock,"Showing them compassion may be the only way to earn peace with Romulus. It's logic, Spock. Thought you'd like that," Jim tells him

Spock measures his words even more carefully than usual before replying, "No, not really. Not this time," He told Jim.

_"I would rather suffer the end of Romulus a thousand times. I would rather die in agony than accept assistance from you,"_ Nero replied moving closer to the viewing screen and saying the last word with hatred.

"You got it," Jim replied turning away from Nero on the screen and looking over to Farrah.

"Arm phasers, fire everything we got," He ordered her.

"Yes, sir," She replied doing it gladly.

Farrah quickly punches in the code and the _Enterprise_ fires on the _Narada_ as it's sucked into the black hole, destroying it, for good this time. Making sure it wasn't going to survive another time jump.

The entire bridge crew watches as the_ Narada_ is sucked inside the black hole disappearing from sight.

"Sulu, let's go home!" Jim orders as an alert comes upon the viewing screen, warning of a gravitational pull.

"Yes, sir!" Sulu replies turning the _Enterprise_ around and sending it into warp.

Except nothing happens and the _Enterprise_ begins to get closer to the black hole.

"Why aren't we at warp?" Jim asked as the ship started shaking wildly.

"We are, sir," Chekov told him.

"Kirk to engineering. Get us out of here, Scotty," Jim said into the comm.

* * *

"You bet your arse, Captain," Scotty replies running through engineering as the_ Enterprise_ is pulled even closer to the black hole.

"Captain, were caught in the gravity well! It's got us!" Scotty tells Jim looking at the readings.

"Go to maximum warp. Push it!" Jim orders him as Scotty walks away from the computer.

"I'm giving her all that she's got, Captain!" Scotty shouts looking around and throwing his hands up.

* * *

Everyone inside the bridge looks up in fear as the hull begins to crack.

"All she's got isn't good enough. What else you got?" Jim replies in the comm after looking at the crack quickly.

* * *

Down n Engineering Scotty puts his hands on his head while he thinks for a solution to save them all, "Okay. If we eject the core and detonate, the blast could be enough to push us away! I cannae promise anything, though!" Scotty tells him.

* * *

On the bridge, everyone's attention is drawn to the viewing screen as the glass begins to crack.

"Do it, do it, do it!" Jim yells into the comm.

* * *

"Clear the area! Go!" Scotty shouts to the people in the room:

"Yes, sir!" They reply leaving quickly.

Scott goes over to the computer and types in the code launching all the warp cores into space.

* * *

The warp cores fall into the black hole and nothing happens for a few moments until a brilliantly bright white light erupts from behind the ship jolting them all back in the seats as the _Enterprise_ is overtaken by the energy.

The crew of the bridge watches in wonder and fear and the entire viewing screen is filled with white.

The shockwave carries the _Enterprise_ away from the black hole before it breaks away from the energy to safety.

Everyone on the bridge, and most likely all over the ship burst into smiles of relief and happiness, while some even laughed.

* * *

After the Enterprise was well on its way back to Earth, Farrah had left the bridge to head down to the med bay to check on her father.

When she got there she saw him lying on a bed asleep with monitors hooked up around him.

She rushed over to him and put a hand to his cheek while looking down at him, even though he was asleep he still looked exhausted.

Farrah had been so afraid when they had walked into that torture room to see her father strapped to a table un-moving. For a few moments she thought that he was dead and they would only be recovering his body. She felt so much fear in that moment, and when he did make a sound, even though i pain, her heart leaped in joy.

She jumped when a hand was put on her shoulder and turned to see Lenny standing beside her, "He's under heavy sedation," He informed her, "I did all that I could here, but he's going to need a better hospital to help with his legs. He should eventually regain feeling and be able to walk again over time," Lenny told her as she nodded in acceptance.

"Thank you Leonard," She told him using his full name for the first time in almost three years while pulling him in for a hug as he tentatively patted her back.

They pulled away from each other as Lenny looked at her head with scrutinizing eyes, "What the hell were you doing on that bridge!" He suddenly erupted dragging her to another bed.

"What?" She replied in shock.

"Look at you, you probably have a concussion! You could have done more harm than good up there with an injury that causes confusion!" He told her taking a small flashlight and shining it in her eyes.

"I feel fine," Farrah replied with a sigh while blinking as he took the light away.

"Yeah? Keep telling yourself that until you start thinking the self-destruct button on the ship is a candy dispenser! Or your phaser is a..." Lenny told her mumbling the rest while opening up a cabinet and pulling out some things.

"What..." Farrah muttered not sure what to say to that.

"I don't even think the ship has a self-destruct button... That's only in the movies," Farrah told him with a shake of her head.

"Yeah, well let's not find out it does when you press it and the ship blows up killing us all!" Lenny replied walking over to her and putting on gloves.

Farrah didn't know what to say to that either so settled for shaking her head and watching as Lenny opened up a wrapper and produced an antibacterial wipe that he started using to clean up the cut on her forehead making her wince as it stung.

She knew why he had suddenly switched from concerned and comforting friend to nagging doctor. He was trying to take her mind away from the condition her father was in. It wasn't working for her but she played along with it anyways.

She watched as Lenny disposed of the used wipe and then started putting other things on the cut before bandaging it up.

"There, now you have to stay awake for twenty-four hours!" He told her with a stern look.

"I've already been up for way more than twenty-four. Lenny, you should be ordering me to sleep," Farrah replied in confusion.

"Not when you have signs of a concussion. Or do you want to never wake up again?" Lenny replied giving her a stern look, narrowing his eyes.

Farrah just held up her hands in surrender as behind them some monitors started going off. She quickly looked over at her father but saw that his monitors were normal and the beeping was because of another patient.

"Jim! Watch Farrah! Make sure she doesn't fall asleep," Lenny said looking behind her and she turned to see Jim standing there.

"Sure, Bones," He replied walking over to sit beside Farrah on her bed.

Lenny nodded and took off towards the beeping to tend to the patient.

Jim and Farrah both looked over to her father's sleeping form, "So, how is he?" Jim asked her.

"He's under sedation, and Lenny said that he should walk again," Farrah told him sadly.

"Well that's good, he'll be back and Captaining the _Enterprise_ in no time at all," Jim replied with a grin as they turned away from Christopher to look at each other.

"I don't think he will. I'm pretty sure his Captaining days are over," Farrah replied while giving him a meaningful look.

While her father wouldn't be the Captain anymore, she had a feeling that Jim would be made the permanent Captain of _Enterprise_ once her repairs were finished. And she didn't have anything bad to say about the Captaining skills he had shown already.

"Mr. Kirk?" A woman's voice called making them turn away from each other and to her, "I am to check you over at bed seven," The older looking nurse informed him walking over to the bed expecting Jim to follow her.

Jim nodded and turned back to Farrah giving her a small smile, just noticing their closeness, "He's going to be fine," He assured her.

"I know, he's a Pike," Farrah replied standing up, "I'm going to go sit with him," She told Jim as he stood up to.

"Alright, I'll find you later," He told her slowly lifting his hand and running it over the hand shaped bruises on her neck.

"I'm sorry," He whispered to her in apology.

"Why?" She replied looking up at him, hardly noticing the shiver that went up her spine at his touch.

"Because, I was too busy fighting Nero to help you," Jim replied looking at her while still running his hands up and down her neck.

"Its fine, I dealt with him," Farrah replied looking away and recalling as Ayel fell off the walway to his death, feeling hardly any guilt for it. Which should have worried her but her mind was occupied by other things at the moment.

Farrah looked back up at Jim as her heart pounded in her chest and her stomach refused to sit still. Jim's arms reached around her and pulled her in for a comforting hug. If anything could make her feel safe, and better about the situation it was standing in his arms. She wrapped her arms around him in return before slowly they pulled away from each other.

Standing closer to each other than they ever had before they both leaned in. Their lips met before either of them remembered to take a breath.

Farrah brought her hand up to the side of his head while he put his hand on the middle of her back. She could feel him, she could taste him, and she was him. Even though they had never kissed each other before they knew what to do. Her other hand moved to his chest as he pulled her closer, tighter as if he were afraid she was going to pull away from him.

Eventually they did have to pull away from each other though but not very far as they rested their foreheads against each other's.

Farrah took a deep yet slow breath, she couldn't believe she had just kissed Jim Kirk. She had just kissed Jim Kirk! She wasn't even sure what that meant for them. But she did know she was too exhausted right now to really analyze what had just happened. All she knew was that she and Jim had just kissed, and she liked it, she really really liked it...

Pulling further away from each other Jim grinned down at her with a smile that she couldn't help but find herself returning.

They didn't say anything, both afraid to break the spell that seemed to surround them after their kiss.

Apparently they were the only ones effected.

"Mr. Kirk?" The nurses voice called shattering their spell.

"Right, coming one second!" Jim replied turning to look over his shoulder at her before looking back down at Farrah and clearing his throat.

"Uhm.." He mumbled not really sure what to say.

"That was nice," Farrah commented before closing her eyes in embarrassment. Did she really just say _"that was nice"!_

She shifted on her feet and turned away from Jim before looking back over at him as they stepped away looking away from each other awkwardly neither sure what to do from here.

For Jim, it was the first time he had ever kissed a woman before and wanted something more than just sex. He would know exactly what to do if it were like that now, but with Farrah it was different. Something about her had to have caught his attention, heck he'd been chasing after her for over three years now!

So instead of screwing it up right from the start he turned away from her to look at the nurse at bed seven, "I gotta..." He trailed off turning back around to look at her.

"Yeah, yeah... I'm just gonna sit down beside my dad until he wakes up," Farrah replied stepping back and gesturing to her father behind them.

"Okay, yeah I gotta go see that nurse," Jim replied nodding.

"I'll, uh... See you later then," Farrah said to him.

"Yeah, I'll see you later," Jim replied backing up as they both turned around and away from each other.

As they walked their separate ways both had large smiles on their faces.

* * *

_Thoughts on there kiss? Maybe it was a bit to cheesy lol. _

_Was the kiss to soon? I just want to say that it doesn't mean they are totally in love with each other now, because that's not it at all. But they have finally acted on there feelings so things will move forwards from here! :) And the awkwardness after seemed realistic to me, since they didn't really plan on kissing and it just sort of happened! And they (mostly Farrah) and I guess Jim too... They both have to sort out what the feel for each other! _


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer:_ I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah! :)_

* * *

**Four months later...**

Farrah Pike sat outside a conference room waiting to speak to members of the Academy Board.

She had been called down here about twenty minutes ago and she wasn't sure of the reason.

But waiting had given her time to think of what had happened in the four months since they returned to Earth from defeating Nero.

Firstly, as soon as they had landed on the docking bay where the Enterprise was going to undergo all the necessary repairs, her father was rushed to the hospital.

He had woken up briefly in the shuttle on the way there, and Farrah had refused to leave his side when they wanted her to stay. She told him about what happened while he was under sedation, and what Lenny had told her about his legs.

On the shuttle he had tried to move them but found he couldn't do it. He had started having a an anxiety attack and the medics in the shuttle had to sedate him again to calm him down.

She didn't speak to him again until after he'd had his surgeries. Apparently he'd had a Centaurian slug shoved down his throat, and it had started to eat at his spinal cord. When the doctors had informed her of this she had wanted nothing more to find Nero and kill him herself, but he was already dead so she had to find other ways to deal with the anger and hatred she felt for Nero, for all Romulans it seemed she had put at fault.

And her father was still alive, healthy as he could be after that ordeal. He was for now confined to a wheelchair but he was slowly beginning to be able to take slow steps again but not enough that he would be able to get around very far.

The surgeons had done a wonderful job on his spinal cord with the only fault being that he would most likely walk with a cane for the rest of his life.

She had hated feeling so helpless while on the _Narada _and Ayel was choking her. So she had signed herself up for another further Advanced Combat class at the Academy that she would take until the _Enterprise_ was shipped out again.

She had been assigned to the _Enterprise_ as Chief Tactical Officer permanently. Just as many of her fellow cadets who had been on the _Enterprise_ were given their positions permanently as well. She was especially happy when Nyota had told her she was assigned to the _Enterprise_ as Chief Communications officer permanently as well.

The two of them had mourned the loss of Gaila together. A funeral that was held on _Earth_, as Gaila loved it so much her parents had it there. The two of them had the chance to meet some of Gaila's Orion friends who had made the journey. And they had gotten to meet the many people who had known Gaila.

The worst part, at least to her, was that there had been no body, just as there had been no body for any of the other people either. A fact Farrah had to accept may happen to her at any time.

It could happen to any of the officers who willingly walked on a Starship as it journeyed the galaxy.

Another thing that made her smile slightly was her relationship with Jim. After that sudden kiss they shared on the _Enterprise_ while it made its way home they hadn't spoken until back on Earth.

Jim had come to sit with her at the hospital once he was done speaking with the Starfleet Academy about what had happened. He came and sat down in a chair beside her and took her hand. They didn't say anything to each other but him just being there brought her comfort.

Some time after her father was well on his way to being healed, Jim had knocked on her door and asked her on an actual date.

She'd said yes and the next week he had pulled up at her building in a new motorcycle as the last one he had given away. She wasn't sure what to expect on the date, he wouldn't tell her what they were doing only that it was a surprise.

He ended up taking her to an astronomy tower where he has used his new "Captain" rank to gain them access to the building. At the time she didn't think they were allowed in but Jim had reassured her and she had followed him inside.

Now she'd seen the stars from the _Enterprise_ in space, and that was truly amazing. But still, nothing could compare to seeing the stars through a telescope that was planted on Earth. It was like they were actually in the _Enterprise_ looking at the stars but it was different. In the past, before the very first Starships had been built, before the human race had traveled further than the moon, even further back than that, people had used telescopes to see the stars.

And to be counted among the few people who were not scientists and look through a telescope to deep space was just amazing to her.

Jim had surprised her again, having brought burgers, fries and milkshakes,(not exactly a five-star meal) though Farrah didn't really think Jim was the type to go to a fancy restraint either, and that was good because she didn't care for them either. So the food he had brought was perfect paired with the astronomy tower.

They had kissed again, this time longer and dare she say it more passionate than the first. And then a few hours later he had dropped her off at her building. The next day they were setting up their next date that ended up with them just sitting down at the coffee shop in the Starfleet Academy talking about random and personal things, really just getting to know each other.

She wasn't sure what they were to each other as they hadn't really discussed it but she could say she wouldn't be opposed to being Jim's girlfriend.

But first they would have to talk to her father... She could imagine how that was going to go.

Farrah looked up as the door opened and Sulu walked out of the room and looked at her.

"There ready for you," He told her with a nod, but she could tell he hasn't expected her to be the one in the chair, but he'd expected someone.

She raised an eyebrow at him but nodded as he held the door open for her and she walked inside with her hands held behind her back coming to a stop in front of the three men as the doors closed with a hiss.

The three men, with the greying hair sat behind a clear glass table with nothing on it, which was unusual. She thought there would be a data-pad at least.

"I am sure you are wondering why you were summoned here," The man in the middle spoke up.

"Yes, sir," Farrah replied nodding.

"Your Academy record speaks for itself Miss Pike. Congratulations on your assignment to the _Enterprise,_" He continued.

"Thank you sir, I am looking forward to it sir," Farrah told him honestly.

"That's good. A well deserved position. But we asked you here because we have another offer for you to consider," The man in the middle explained.

She began to think the other two men were there just to make them seem more imposing. She didn't know what this other option was but she didn't think she would trade anything for the _Enterprise_ position.

"Another option, sir?" Farrah asked him.

"You are well aware that Starfleet's priorities are peacekeeping and humanitarian missions," The man spoke again.

"Yes, I do, sir," Farrah replied.

"Unfortunately "peacekeeping" and "humanitarian" are pleasant words for often unpleasant realities," The man said to her confusing her even more.

"Starfleet has had to adjust to this truth," The man said continuing on,"We'd like to recruit you to be a part of a new initiative, were choosing only the brightest stars in the academy. Those with the right mix of intelligence, courage, and physical ability,"He explained pointing a finger at her and grinning.

"For what kinds of missions, sir?" Farrah asked him curiously.

"High risk, high precision, and most of all...completely covert," He told her smirking like he expected her to jump at the chance for the opportunity right there.

When she didn't move he continued,"So much so that I'd you relate this conversation to anyone outside of this room, you will be immediately discharged from service. That includes your father," He told her forcefully.

"It would mean giving up your assignment to the _Enterprise_. But you would be joining an even more select unit, carrying out missions potentially more important to Starfleet," He told her with a convincing smile.

Sensing her hesitation he continued,"You don't have to answer now. Just consider the possibility," The man told her folding his hands together and resting his elbows on the table.

"We'll be in touch. You're dismissed," He said to her.

"Yes, sir," Farrah replied before walking out the doorway and down the hall.

* * *

**One week later...**

Farrah stood behind her fathers wheelchair at the bottom of the assembly hall. She looked ahead as Jim stood in front of Admiral Barnett.

"This assembly calls Captain James Tiberius Kirk. Your inspirational valor and supreme dedication to your comrades is in keeping with the highest traditions of service, and reflect utmost credit to yourself , your crew and the Federation. It is my honor to award you with this commendation," The Admiral spoke as a grin began to form on Jim's face as a man comes over holding out the medal.

The admiral takes it from its box and pins it to Jim's uniform,"By Starfleet Order 28455, you are hereby directed to report to Admiral Poke, _U.S.S Enterprise,_ for duty as his relief," Barnett told Jim holding out his hand for him to shake.

Jim nodded and turned to stand in front of her father,"I relieve you, sir."

"I am relieved," Christopher replied smiling up at him.

"Thank you, sir," Jim replied with a small smile nodding.

"Congratulations, Captain," Christopher replied holding out his hand for Jim,"Your father would be proud," He finished as the people in the stands began to clap.

Jim looked at Farrah behind her father as she grinned at him and he returned one before looking up at the people in the stands

* * *

**Three days later...**

"Maneuvering thrusters and impulse engines at your command, sir," Sulu announced.

"Weapons systems and chutes on standby," Farrah called.

"Dock control reports ready, Captain," Nyota said as they turned to watch as Jim walked inside the bridge in the Captains uniform.

Jim turned and grinned at them all before looking ahead towards McCoy,"Bones! Buckle up," He told him slapping him on the shoulder before he sat down in the command chair and turned on the comm,"Scotty how we doing?"

* * *

Down in Engineering, Scotty replied into the comm happily,"Dilithium chambers at maximum, Captain," He announced before turning to look and seeing Keenser on top of a vat,"Get down!" Scotty shouted up at him but the alien only shook his head.

* * *

"Mister Sulu, prepare to engage thrusters," Jim said to the helmsman just as Spock walks out of the lift.

"Permission to come aboard, Captain," Spock calls looking inside.

"Permission granted," Jim replies turning to look at him.

Spock nods and walks inside,"As you have yet to select a first officer, respectfully, I would like to submit my candidacy," He said to Jim who was standing up, "Should you desire, I can provide character references," Spock continued seriously.

Jim just grinned at him,"It would be my honor, Commander," Spock nodded and took his post.

Jim turned back to Sulu, "Maneuvering thrusters, Mister Sulu," He said sitting down again.

"Thrusters on standby," Sulu replied.

"Take us out," Jim requested.

"Aye aye, Captain," Sulu replied.

Sulu sends the _Enterprise_ into warp.

* * *

_ "Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Her ongoing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new lifeforms and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before." _


	19. Chapter 19

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah. :)_

* * *

Farrah Pike sat at her desk in her quarters on the _Enterprise_. She was reading on her data pad about old Federation ships that had gone missing with interesting circumstances.

She was just getting to the good part about the _U.S.S Valiant_ when her video communicator beeped alerting her to an incoming call.

The communicator automatically connected to her viewing screen when she was in the room so she looked up and wasn't surprised who was calling.

It was her father.

Everyone else she would talk to was either on their own ship or on the _Enterprise_ with her now.

It has only been two and a half weeks since they left Earth; it was also just over three weeks since possibly the most...embarrassing moment of her life...

* * *

_Jim Kirk pulled up in front of Farrah's building on his motorcycle, he turned it off as they both pulled off their helmets and got off the bike._

_"I had a lot of fun," Farrah said to Jim while putting 'her' helmet underneath the seat for storing._

_"So did I," Jim replied grinning at her and coming around to her side of the bike and wrapping an arm around her waist and tugging her closer to him._

_"I'll see you tomorrow," Farrah replied with a smirk tipping her head down a bit._

_"Oh you will, will you?" Jim replied raising an eyebrow but he was actually ecstatic that he'd be seeing her again so soon._

_They had been going out for over four months now and in that time Jim had found himself to be more than attached to Farrah, he thought he might even be in love with her. But they hadn't said those three little yet big words yet._

_And something new for him was that they hadn't had sex yet, it was different because he found himself liking Farrah for everything else about her and not just the physical aspects._

_"Mhmm," Farrah replied with a cheeky grin._

_"Well, I'll only see you tomorrow if you tell me what the board wanted with you, "Jim replied casually but immediately Farrah's lighthearted mood became serious._

_"Jim, I told you already, I can't tell you," Farrah replied sounding regretful._

_She truly did want to tell him about the offer that the board had made her but remembered their warning every time she even thought about it. Her place on the Enterprise meant a lot of her. She hadn't accepted the offer when they had gotten back to her and given her a few more details of what the mission was..._

_In fact it was actually Admiral Marcus who had video conferenced with her about it. She had met the man many times before, her father often had him over for dinner and Farrah had cooked for them. She didn't know him as Admiral Marcus head of Starfleet. She knew him as Alexander Marcus, her father's mentor and friend._

_She had begun to see the man as sort of an uncle, even though he was actually her godfather. A fact she hadn't known when she first met him at her mother's funeral. Apparently just before she'd been born he'd moved with his family to London for a job in the Starfleet base there. She wasn't sure what the job was, heck her father didn't seem to know either but it didn't seem all that important anyways._

_Then right before her mother had died, he and his family moved back to California. An interesting coincidence if she said so._

_After she had spent over seven months in grief and depression over her mother's death she had been re-introduced to Alexander Marcus._

_But the call from him that day was from the Admiral, head of Starfleet not her godfather._

_He'd told her that the mission was very top secret and would be used for the greater good of the Federation. He was vague but Farrah got the feeling he was telling her more than he should have just because of their relationship._

_He said the job was at Section 31 in London and that they had made a remarkable discovery and needed the top people who were knowledgeable in all things advanced weaponry and all things tactical. Apparently making her a perfect fit for the job._

_Farrah asked what Section 31 was and all he said was that it was a covert operation that hardly anyone but those who worked there knew about._

_He'd made a very convincing argument, offering her a salary that was three zeros longer than what she made now. But still she had told him no and that she was happy on the Enterprise and wasn't there for the money._

_He'd changed his convincing and friendly tune rather quickly then. He in not so many words, threatened her job on the Enterprise and the job of Jim, apparently knowing all about their romantic relationship. He'd even gone so far as to mention Nyota and even Lenny. He said they would all be permanently discharged from service if she breathed a word of what he'd told her, saying that they would "know" if she told anyone._

_Her imaginative mind couldn't help but think of people tailing her all day every day for the rest of her life. Her communicator listened in on and her data-pads monitored. The Admiral surely had the resources for it._

_"Oh come on Farrah, it's me!" Jim said pleading with her, his curiosity driving him to know exactly what it was about._

_"I just can't alright! Even if it is you!" Farrah snapped at him but then looked apologetic, "I wish I could, believe me I do..." Farrah trailed off looking away from him._

_"Hey...it's fine," Jim replied to her putting a finger under her chin and tilting her head up to him gently, "I'll drop it you don't have to tell me," He told her with apologetic look._

_"Thank you," Farrah replied, he'd been asking her about it every day since she'd been to see the council. All because Jim had been with her when she had been called down._

_She wrapped her arms around him in relief, she was almost to the breaking point where she was going to tell him despite the consequences. It wasn't his nagging that had her wanting to tell him either. It was the fact that she thought she might be in love with Jim, they hadn't said it yet and truthfully she was afraid to but there was no denying her feelings for him. And lying to someone she loved was hurting her._

_She pulled away from Jim slightly and brought their lips together in a soft kiss before pulling away from him again. She recognized the mischievous glint in Jim's eyes and was only too happy to comply when he crashed his lips on hers again, this time deeper and longer then the previous._

_They stood outside her building when the they heard the door open, but gave it no attention as they were lost in each other._

_Until that someone cleared their throat in a familiar way to them._

_They pulled away from each other and turned to look at the door seeing someone they really didn't want to see._

_Christopher Pike._

_Even in a wheelchair, with civilian clothes on he looked imposing._

_The glare he sent Jim after finding him standing with his daughter kissing made his blood run cold._

_"He..ll..hell..hello there, sir, Admiral, sir," Jim stuttered out swallowing._

_All Christopher did was raise an eyebrow._

_That seemed to be enough as the next thing they knew Jim sent Farrah a look and she gave him one of understanding as he walked back to his motorcycle and dropping his keys..twice.. finally managed to get his helmet on and drive away._

_All the while with Farrah watching him trying to figure out how to explain this one._

_When Jim was out of sight she finally turned around to her father, "Hi, daddy. What are you doing here?" Farrah asked him with a weary smile._

_"I came to see my daughter. When she wasn't here I let myself in and decided to wait for her to show up," Christopher replied as Farrah walked inside the building and shut the door._

_"Then I hear a motorcycle pull up thinking it was you and a friend I waited for you to say goodbye. When you didn't come inside right away I went to see if everything was alright. Where I found you in a lip lock with Jim Kirk! Of all people!" Christopher yelled the last part in exasperation and disbelief._

_"Dad! I am not sixteen! I can kiss a man if I want to! And so what if it was Jim Kirk? You like him!" Farrah replied in question after kicking off her shoes._

_"Yeah, I like him Captaining the Enterprise. Not touching any part of my daughter," Christopher replied with narrowed eyes._

_Farrah couldn't believe what she was hearing, she felt like she was a kid whose hand was caught in the cookie jar._

_"That doesn't make any sense! Jim is a sweet guy," Farrah defended him._

_"Yeah, he's also a guy who has sex with every girl he meets!" Christopher shouted out._

_"He isn't like that!" Farrah yelled back, at least not anymore she added in her thoughts._

_She knew her dad was only being so defensive about her seeing Jim was because he was protective of her. But she was twenty-four years old, her father needed to take a step back._

_"He's going to hurt you!" Christopher replied, "I want you to put a stop to your relationship before it gets any more serious" Christopher ordered her._

_Farrah couldn't help but stare in disbelief, protective or not he couldn't ask her to do something like that, "I will not!" She yelled back._

_"Yes you will!" Christopher shouted in reply._

_"I love him!" Farrah finally yelled out before quickly bring her hands to cover her mouth._

_Finally admitting it to herself and her father, she was in love with Jim Kirk. Sometime over those three years and then the four months she had fallen in love with him. And she had fallen hard._

* * *

As the communicator beeped again Farrah was pulled out of her memory and answered the call.

"Hi, dad," She said with a smile.

"Hey munchkin, how's it going out there?" Christopher asked her with a returning smile.

"So far so good. I think you've just jinxed me though," Farrah replied with a small shake of her head.

Christopher laughed a bit, "Well your being safe I bet," He more like stated a fact then asked her.

"Of course I am," Farrah replied but she had a feeling he meant if she was being 'safe' in more ways than one.

"Kirk treating you alright?" He asked her becoming serious.

"Yes dad," Farrah replied with a sigh.

After her admission of love for Jim she had rendered her father speechless for a good five minutes before he'd finally been able to reply.

He admitted he didn't think bad of Jim and that she was right and he did like the guy. But he was only looking out for her as best he could now that she was older and didn't need him as much as she used to.

She'd replied by telling him that she would always need her dad but she had to put herself out there with Jim and if she got her heart-broken then she did and she was willing to take the risk.

"How's everything on Earth?" Farrah asked him changing the subject.

While as the ceremony where Jim was made Captain of the Enterprise permanently had shown that they had made peace with each other she wasn't sure exactly what had ensued.

He'd told her that he wanted to talk to Jim and the next day the two men had lunch. And after that everything was all...not back to normal per say, still somewhat tense between the two but much better than she expected it would be and she knew over time it would all work out.

He was also upset that she had kept the relationship a secret from him. But considering his reaction she was right to, it seemed. But it was just another lie she had to tell her loved ones. And getting it off her chest was a relief as she no longer had to keep her relationship with Jim a secret on top of the placeat Section 31 she had been offered.

"You know, paper work and more paper work. They don't tell you being an Admiral means being in an office all day," Christopher replied holding up a stack of paper for emphasis, "I mean when you're a cadet it's all, high-ranking Officer free to do whatever he likes but no that's not it at all," He continued with a sigh.

Farrah smirked, while the paperwork was a downside, she knew her father loved his new position as an Admiral, he had been after it for his entire Starfleet career and had finally made it.

"I miss you," Christopher told her seriously.

"I miss you to dad," Farrah replied with a sad smile.

"I have to go, this Admiral business is a never ending job," He told her with an apologetic tone.

"I know, it's okay, we'll talk again soon!" Farrah told him with an understanding smile knowing how busy he was.

They only got a few minutes to speak every two weeks or so seeing as their schedules were so busy and different.

"I love you, be safe," Christopher told her.

"I love you to, I will. And you be safe to!" She replied knowing that even if he was on Earth and not a Starship he could still get in a lot of trouble.

Christopher laughed, "I will, talk to you soon, "He said before the comm was ended.

Farrah looked at the screen in slight sadness, she wasn't sure how long it would be before she saw her dad again in the flesh.

Sighing she turned away from it and walked out the doors of her quarters locking them as she left. She would go and find Jim, he always had a way of making her feel less home sick. And the reason for that was because she knew part of her home was wherever he was.

* * *

_A/N_

_Notes on Reviews:_

_Well there is Pikes reaction! I will elaborate on it more, especially the conversation between Pike and Jim!_

_I am not ignoring you guys I promise! I just didn't have time yesterday to write-up an author's note addressing your reviews, but I wanted to post the chapter still! So I will answer them here now._

_The names for the Graphic Novels are:_

_Star Trek Volume 1_

_Star Trek Volume 2_

_Star Trek Volume 3_

_Star Trek Volume 4_

_Star Trek Countdown To Darkness_

_I think there is a Volume 5 coming out some time this year but I am not sure what that one's about because the summary hasn't been released yet! Possibly it will be set after the movie Into Darkness but I am not sure about that yet so don't expect it to be!_

_Glad you guys thought the kiss was realistic! _

_I am a little amazed at myself with how much I am writing. Usually I lose interest after the first few chapters of writing a fanfic but this one has really pulled me in! And I have no intention of stopping. _

_I was waiting for that kiss too actually!_

_And don't you worry, I will most definitely include Into Darkness eventually in this! How can I not!?_

_That is an interesting idea.. I haven't thought about Into Darkness very hard, I have the outline plotted out... and some things I have decided that will happen but all the little details will have to wait until the movie is out on DVD so I can't re watch it 1000x times (maybe not that much) and then I will be able to answer some questions about it. BUT I won't give away too much because I like keeping you guys in suspense. *Insert evil smirk*_

_Thanks for all the reviews/follows/favorites! It really brings a smile on my face when I open up my email and I have a whole bunch of them alerting me! _


	20. Chapter 20

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah. :)_

* * *

In the recreation lounge. Captain James T. Kirk played three-dimensional chess against his backup helmsman, Lieutenant Gary Mitchell as their friend Lieutenant Lee Kelso watched them at the next table over.

"Check mate," Gary said to Jim holding his hands up, "Sorry, Captain," He apologized but it didn't have much sincerity.

"I should have moved my rook," Jim replied looking down at the game, "Rematch, Gary, now that's an order," Jim told him using his rank on his friend.

Gary and Jim had met at the Academy, Gary being one year ahead of Jim, had graduated earlier. But during the time that Gary had been there, he often helped Jim in his assignments. Jim's first request as Captain was to bring Gary and Lee on the Enterprise.

"I'm tired of beating you, "Gary replied smirking, "Why don't you play Mr. Spock sometime?" He asked him just as the doors opened.

"He turned him down," Farrah informed walking inside the room and smiling at them.

Jim turned to her and smiled back gesturing her over to him, "I think he's still upset about the Kobayashi Maru," Jim told them while wrapping an arm around Farrah's waist as she came and stood beside him.

"Come on Gary, there's no way I'll lose now that my good luck charm is here," Jim said turning to his friend with a challenging grin.

Before Gary could reply, Jim's comm beeped alerting him to an incoming call, "Speak of the devil," He mumbled turning it on.

"Go ahead, ," He said into the comm.

_"Captain, we have intercepted a distress beacon of a most curious nature,"_ Spock informed him from the bridge, _"Your presence is requested on the bridge."_

"On my way," Jim replied standing up from his chair not letting go of Farrah.

"Mitchell. Kelso. Join me on the bridge," He said to them as he and Farrah walked ahead and into the lift.

"Aye, sir!" Gary called as he and Kelso stood up and followed them into lift going behind them so that the Captain was in the front.

"Still can't get over calling you "Sir" feels like only yesterday I was helping you with your academy homework," Gary said to him.

"Not to mention that we were a year ahead of you..." Kelso added.

"And yet were still the back-ups to Sulu and the Russian kid," Gary added and the tone of annoyance was not missed on either Jim or Farrah.

Farrah had not known Gary for more than a few weeks and she liked him well enough. She thought he was a nice guy and Kelso was too. But she did prefer Kelso to Gary if she had to admit it.

But she was much closer to Sulu and Chekov and didn't take kindly to Gary's slightly hostile tone. The helmsman and the navigator had proven themselves entitled to their positions in their fight against Nero, Gary had not been there so he didn't have any right to comment on their skills.

"They earned their jobs. Believe me," Jim replied looking over his shoulder at Gary agreeing with Farrah's thoughts, "And I didn't bring you on board to be my friends. I brought you aboard because when I am on that Bridge I need to be surrounded by the best," He said just as the doors to the bridge opened and he and Farrah stepped away from each other.

"Back-ups or not," Jim continued with one last look before stepping inside the Bridge first and then Farrah following after him inside.

"Mr. Mitchell. Mr. Kelso. Miss. Pike, to your stations," He told them heading over to Spock.

On the Bridge he was the Captain and he couldn't show his affection for Farrah on the Bridge. Though the entire _Enterprise_ crew probably knew of their relationship by now but still he couldn't show favoritism towards her.

Farrah walked over to her station as her relief Lieutenant David Talley turned and saw her walking over to him.

He was a good-looking man in his early thirties with light brown hair and brown eyes. He looked up at her with tired yet alert eyes in relief. She knew the feeling of sitting in that chair for over ten hours while one of them was resting and whatever else they wanted while they were free. It wasn't like Starfleet expected them to be at their stations 24/7, so they each had a counter part that would back then up.

"I am sure glad to see you," David told her with a smile sitting up, "Thanks for the relief Pike," He told her putting a hand on her shoulder as he passed her and she sat down logging in with her codes so the computer would know that it was now her who was sitting in the chair.

"Mr. Spock! What've we got?" Jim asked Spock looking away from Farrah as she interacted with Lieutenant Talley. He didn't know the man well, so every time he saw them interacting he felt a spark of jealousy. The man was a good-looking guy so how could he not be. But he had faith in his relationship with Farrah and trusted her, Talley he wasn't so sure about.

"Captain, the distress beacon we intercepted is from an old Starfleet Vessel. The _S.S Valiant_," Spock informed him turning around in his chair as Jim walked over.

"The _Valiant_?" Jim repeated in surprise, "She disappeared almost two hundred years ago!"

"Indeed." Spock agreed, "There is still no sign of the ship. Just the beacon. I am attempting to access the beacon's data recorder remotely," He explained to Jim while putting the comm in his ear.

"I'm getting something.. Ship's logs fragmented but..." Spock trailed off listening in before continuing,"...It appears their mission was similar to ours. Exploring the Galaxy's edge in this same quadrant. They took severe damage from...something...seven crewmen dead...no make that six. One seemed to have recovered," Spock told Jim continuing to listen to the rest.

"Wait. This must be garbled...it doesn't make sense...something about extra-sensory perception...the Captain frantic...giving an order," Spock paused before looking at Jim, "For the ship to self-destruct."

"Mr. Spock, beam the beacon aboard," Jim replied apprehensively needing to know more about what would have caused the Captain to give such an order.

He then turned from Spock to look at Nyota, "Lieutenant Uhura, I want those logs scrubbed clean. Give me a full report on the contents," Jim said to her.

"Aye, Sir," Nyota replied nodding.

"Captain, we are approaching the edge of the Galaxy. Crossing terminus in five minutes," Lee Kelso announced from the navigators station previously occupied by Chekov.

"Very good, Mr. Kelso," Jim told him looking over as Spock came to stand beside him.

"Whatever happened to the _Valiant_, our mission stays the same. Cross the edge and see what's out there," Jim said to Spock.

"We may very well encounter the same threat faced by our predecessor," Spock replied nodding.

"Only one way to find out," Jim replied sitting down in the command chair, "We're leaving the Galaxy. Mr. Mitchell! Ahead warp factor one," Jim said looking over at Gary.

"Aye, Sir," Gary replied doing as he asked, "Crossing the Terminus now," He announced.

"Captain!" A Scottish voice called out making Jim turn to look seeing Scotty walking up the stairs to him.

"Mr. Scott! You're just in time to say goodbye to the Milky Way," Jim said to him with a grin.

"That's all well and good, Sir, but I need a moment of your..." But Scotty was cut off by Farrah before he could finish.

"Captain, sensors are detecting...something...up ahead!" Farrah announced looking at the strange readings on her console, unsure what to make of them.

"Onscreen!" Jim ordered.

A bright green light showed up on the viewing screen, much larger than the _Enterprise_. It was a rectangular shape that was distorted on the edges like green flames and it seemed to stretch on forever.

"Mr. Spock?" Jim asked the man looking for an explanation.

"Readings are inconclusive. Captain, but it appears to be a force field of some kind," Spock informed him.

"Shields up!" Jim called out as the green light seemed to shift, and pulse towards the ship.

Before anyone could do as he asked, the lights on the _Enterprise_ started flickering before turning off completely.

"The lights!" Scotty shouted looking up at them.

"Yellow alert! Status report!" Jim yelled out.

Before anyone could do anything, all the consoles on the bridge sparked before exploding in the faces of their users sending them all flying back.

Farrah had luckily leaned back in her chair when the first sparking had started so wasn't injured other than the blast sending her flying to the floor.

She pushed herself up and looked at her console seeing it on fire, and it wasn't just hers, it was everyone's.

She turned to look and caught Jim's eye as he looks at her in worry, she gave a nod signaling that she was okay and he gave her a quick smile in relief letting her know he was not injured either.

Suddenly, Gary Mitchell started screaming as he clutched his head in pain squeezing his eyes shut tightly.

"Gary!" Jim shouted in concern seeing his friend in pain.

Gary's entire body suddenly flashed in the same orange glow as the consoles. Revealing his entire skeleton, like an x-ray to the entire Bridge who looked over at him, before it was gone and Gary had fallen to the ground back to normal.

"Mr. Scott gets us out of here!" Jim shouted to Scotty before turning to Gary.

"Aye, Sir," Scotty replied shielding his eyes and mouth from the fire and smoke.

"Gary, are you hurt?" Jim said to Gary as he shook him lightly.

Gary groaned before sitting up while still clutching his eyes shut and putting a hand to his head, "Jim..." He mumbled out before speaking louder, "I'm...a little weak, but otherwise..." Gary continued much clearer than before dropping his hand back to his side and turning to Jim.

"...I feel fine," Gary told him grinning while opening his eyes to reveal them to be glowing and completely white.

* * *

_A/N_

_If any of you are fans of the original series and have watched the episodes then some of this will be recognizable to you!_

_Into Darkness will be included here! I wont be splitting it up! :)_

_Thats a good idea! I may use it but who knows? _

_The Walking Dead. Its funny because like 90% of my friends love the show and are always going on about it, so one day I sat down and started watching the very first episode but then I had to leave like 10 minutes into it and I never started watching it again! I might watch it because it is supposed to be really good._

_I can totally relate to that! I get so obsessed with something and I start reading fanfics about it and the next think I know I just get so sick of the entire show and fanfics. Like the fanfics are really good and the show or movie or book is good but then I read so much of it I ust get sick of it for a time and have to move on from it! _

_Yeah, sometimes I will be like just on the edge of overcoming my obsession and its turning into boredom when I find a really good, really long story and I cant finish it so I follow it and favorite it to come back to later!_

_I know what you mean reviews let you know that people are interested in your work. Even if it is just one person per chapter its such a great feeling to know they like it enough to take the time to review it! So I think if they took the time to do that then I can take the time to write a new chapter for them! _

_I imagined it being traumatizing so I am glad it came across that way! _


	21. Chapter 21

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah. :)_

_Thanks for your reviews! They mean so much to me! _

* * *

_"Captains Log: Our encounter with the force field at the galaxy's edge has crippled the ship. Nine crew members lost. All from sudden seizures of unknown origin. Lieutenant Mitchell was almost the tenth. Dr. McCoy has him under observation. We've lost warp capability, reduced to impulse power only. Bridge functionality has been restored...barely."_

* * *

In the med bay Jim was standing with Spock and Bones talking about what had happened to Gary.

Jim couldn't deny the flash of fear he had felt when his friend had opened his eyes to reveal glowing orbs. The white had not gone away even after they had taken him to the med bay and as he was told, still there.

"Damnedest thing I've ever seen, Jim. Gary's vitals are perfect. He's alert. Been up reading for the last twelve hours. He keeps asking for 'more'," Bones says to them putting a hand on his chin in thought.

"More what?" Jim asks looking over at him in confusion.

"Information, data anything and everything. I finally have him a book of poetry to shut him up," Bones replied shrugging.

"What hit my crew, Mr. Spock?" Jim asks turning to the Vulcan commander.

"I've been studying their medical records for any commonalities in the hope of ascertaining a cause," Spock replies, "All of the affected crew members shared extraordinary results from the same barrage of tests: Esper, Apperception, Duke/Heidelberg, quotient," Spock explains but Jim interrupts.

"Those are all tests for Psychic ability," Jim says to him.

"Precisely," Spock agrees, "And Mitchell scores highest of them all."

Jim turned away in thought, something was attacking his crew, had attacked his crew and he was gonna be damned if he didn't do something about it. He wouldn't let their fate be the same as the Valiant, he had a duty to protect his crew, to protect her.

They all started walking down the corridor towards Gary's room to check on him, "Bones, where's the psychologist who joined us at Aldebran? Dehner, wasn't it? She might be able to help," Jim said turning to Bones.

"We,uh..." Bones replies scratching his head a bit and looking away in slight embarrassment, "She withdrew her transfer. Guess she had a change of heart," He told Jim lowering his hand.

"Bones, don't tell me..." Jim replied with a sigh.

"It was a long time ago. I thought she'd forgiven me," Bones replied shrugging again.

"Captain," Spock said bringing their attention away from each other and to him, "I am concerned about the reference to extra-sensory perception in the logs recovered from the _Valiant_," Spock told them as they came to a stop outside of the door leading into Gary's room where he was being monitored.

As the _Enterprise_ had undergone repairs when it returned to earth, many of the areas had been re-built, the med bay being one of them. It had been heavily damaged in Nero's attack and was rebuilt from scratch, patients now having metrical quarters for the more serious cases. And Gary was most definitely a serious case.

"I fear there may be a connection to what happened to our crew," Spock continued.

"Check with Uhura. See what you can find," Jim replied pressing the button for the doors to open.

"Let's just be grateful that Gary seems to be-" Jim stopped abruptly after seeing inside the room.

"-okay?" Jim continued looking inside the room with the other three.

Gary stood standing in the middle of the room holding his hands up as various things...floated...around him, including a medical kit, a small mirror and even a full glass of water.

"Jim!" Gary shouted happily, "What do you think?" He asked grinning widely at them.

"Gary! What-?" Jim shouted in surprise and astonishment as they stepped inside the room.

"God, I'm thirsty," Gary commented before moving the glass of water to his lips and taking a sip, without using his hands.

"Don't worry, Captain. I feel incredible," Gary said to him as the glass moved away, "Don't let the eyes bother you," Gary said to them seeing them staring at them.

"How are you doing that?" Jim questioned him gesturing to the floating items and equipment.

"I'm not sure. I just..." Gary started thinking of the right words to use as Bones walked up behind him and started scanning him,"...think of making it happen...and it does," Gary explained floating the glass of water over his hand but not touching, to demonstarte, though the ones floating around his head were enough as Bones walked away from him and back over to Jim.

"Scans normal. Nothing out of the ordinary," Bones said to Jim as they stared at Gary.

"You mean aside from the floating objects." Jim replied incredulously.

"Oh Jim, meant to tell you," Gary said to him with an air of carefree around him, "There's something wrong with the impulse power. Mr. Scott will probably tell you all about it," Gary informed surprising everyone in the room of how he could know something like that.

"How do you know...?" Jim questioned him in confusion.

"It's amazing Jim," Gary replied putting a hand on the wall, "It's like I can "hear" the ship. Like she's talking to me," Gary said staring at the wall, "And I can talk back to her," Gary informed them.

"Gary, how 'bout you rest a little while-" Bones said to him walking up and putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" Gary screamed shoving him away in anger making Bones stumble back.

"Enough!" Jim shouted getting between them, "Gary! I want you on bed rest and under observation until we know what happened to you! That's an order!" He shouted at him but Gary only smirked at his tone.

"Aye aye, 'Captain'," Gary said to him, none in the room missing the sarcastic way he said the title.

* * *

Inside the _Enterprise_ conference room, Jim had called down the head of every area. This included Sulu, chief helmsman, Chekov, chief navigator, Farrah, chief tactical officer, Nyota, chief communications officer, Dr. McCoy, chief medical officer, Mr. Scott, chief engineer and Spock his first lieutenant.

"How the hell did he know about the impulse problem?" Jim said to Mr. Scott as they all sat around the clear, glass rectangle table.

"I hadn't even told you, yet, Captain!" Mr. Scott replied holding his hands up having no answer of how Lieutenant Mitchell knew.

"Tell me now, Mr. Scott," Jim said to him a little more forcefully then he had meant to.

But everything was really starting to get to him. Seeing Gary, somehow floating objects around him, and then attacking Bones, was weighing on him. That was not the friend he knew. That...that thing was an entirely different person. A person that's threat level to the rest of his crew was rising, but Gary was a part of his crew to. He didn't know what he should do.

"Well, warp is completely fried, as we know. But even before we were hit by whatever it was, I found cracks in the impulse engines that I need a star base to fix," Scotty replied understanding his Captains, his friends tone. He would let it slide...this time anyways, "And astonishingly well-equipped one, preferably," Scotty added.

"Keptin," Chekov spoke up making Jim turn to him, "Without warp capability it will take years to reach the nearest base. If impulse power holds, we can reach the outpost on Delta Vega in a few days. It's an old Lithium-cracking facility. Uninhabited, but it may have the resources we need," Chekov informed him.

"Lithium Cracking? Why not just give me some glue and string?" Scotty replied sarcastically turning to the young man who sometimes shadowed him in engineering.

"Do the best you can, Mr. Scott," Jim told him as Scotty sighed and nodded in acceptance.

"Any update in Mitchell?" Jim asked turning to Bones.

"Got him sedated. He's out. But he's still smiling. Makes me nervous," Bones replied doing a visible shiver.

"Uhura, any clues from the _Valiant_ logs?" Jim asked turning to the communications officer.

"I recovered just one new fragment. The crewmen who recovered from the attack... He showed the same symptoms as Mitchell," She informed him, "Shortly after that the Captain ordered the self-destruct," She continued solemnly.

"Pike, any idea what that energy field is yet?" Jim asked Farrah.

"No, sir. Though it appears Commander Spock was correct. It does seem to be some sort of force field. However I dont want to risk any further tests, as we know what happened last time when we became to close to it," Farrah replied thinking of what had happened on the Bridge earlier, though not just the Bridge either, the entire ship had some sort of effect happen from the strange green energy.

Jim nodded before addressing them all, "Okay. Bones, I want constant updates in Gary. If he so much as blinks I want to know. Chekov, Sulu, set a course for Delta Vega. As fast as we can get there. Mr. Scott, give us what you can," He said to them before growing even more serious, "I want no discussion if the Mitchell situation with the rest of the crew. Dismissed," He said as the all stood up to leave the room.

Jim caught Farrah's eye as she gave him a look that said everything would be okay. But for some reason Jim knew it wouldn't be in the end. He nodded in return and she sent him a small smile before she walked out the door.

"Captain?" Spock said gaining his attention, "Our patient is no longer Gary Mitchell," Spock said to him.

"Explain yourself, Commander," Jim said to him tensely.

"While Dr. McCoy had him sedated, I attempted to mind-melds with Mitchell. Dr. McCoy believed I was simply examining him," Spock informed him.

"Damn it, Spock, you were out of line-" Jim said to him knowing what a mind-meld felt like, having been subjected to one by Spock Prime himself.

Spock cut him off before he could continue, "Captain, there was no one there. No consciousness. No sentience of any kind. Whatever now inhabits the body of Gary Mitchell poses an imminent threat to this ship and its crew."

"Remember what Mitchell said. He can now merely think if something and it happens. That may be a clue to the fate of the _Valiant,_" Spock said to him.

"What I need are recommendations, Mr. Spock, not vague warnings," Jim replied turning away from him.

"Very well. Recommendation one: Leave him behind on Delta Vega," Spock recommended walking to the door.

"Gary is my friend and a member of my crew!" Jim shouted turning back around to face Spock,"I won't leave him stranded in some rock in the middle of nowhere!"

"Then you have only one other choice, Captain," Spock replied turning to look at him as he stopped at the doorway, "Kill him while you still can," He said before leaving the room and Jim to his thoughts.

He refused to believe what Spock told him, he knew, just knew, deep in his gut that Gary was still in there. He would not strand Gary on a planet because of some mind-meld and he would certainly not kill him.


	22. Chapter 22

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to! I only own my OC Farrah! :)_

_I am soooo sooo soo sorry for not updating yesterday! Stuff just kept getting in the way and I couldn't get to a computer! But here it is!_

_Thanks so much for your reviews! I really can't express show much they mean to me!_

* * *

Jim sat inside the conference room on the Enterprise alone ever since Spock had left him to his thoughts just over an hour ago.

He had long since sat back down and was now staring out the viewing screen in deep thought. He had a difficult choice to make. He hated to admit it but he knew that some of what Spock had told him was true.

That creature with the glowing eyes was not his friend; his friend would never attack someone because they were trying to help him. But he just knew Gary Mitchell was still inside of him, trapped behind those unnatural bright white for eyes.

But he also knew that whatever was in there was endangering his crew and the ship. The people he was sworn to protect to the best of his ability. Killing Gary or what was left of him would be like murdering his friend, and he couldn't do that. That meant the only other option was to leave him on Delta Vega, but still was that any better? He would likely starve on that planet as it was uninhabited, the reason he would be left there. He would not be able to harm anyone as there was no one to cause harm to...

But even so, Gary would be alone on that planet and he knew loneliness could drive someone mad. So which was the better option? Leaving him alone on the planet they were heading to now or kill him out of cold blood, or maybe it was mercy...

The doors opened with a hiss and as he looked up, he expected possibly Spock to have returned to lecture him some more but it turned out it was Farrah. She walked into the room and he smiled at her. All thoughts of the choice he had to make washing away by her presence there.

She didn't say anything only smiling in return and walking over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder and squeezing it for support. He reached his hand up and covered hers taking comfort in her touch.

"I can't begin to understand the choice you have to make," Farrah said to him, "But I also know a choice has to be made. You should know that no one on this ship will think anything less of you, whatever you choose," She told him softly.

"I've been a starship Captain for less than six months. And finally being back in space and crossing galaxies. Seeing things I could never imagine and will never forget," Jim replied telling her of his thoughts, "But exploring the unknown means encountering threats I never dreamed of. Never more so than ever before," He told her with a sad undertone.

"The entire crew looks up to you Jim," Farrah replied, "And they trust your judgment," She said moving behind him and wrapping her arms around him.

Jim thought on her words, he didn't feel deserving of the faith his crew had in him. Before he could reply however his comm turned on and Spock's voice filled the room.

_"Captain, we have reached Delta Vega,"_ He announced.

Jim sighed before replying as Farrah stepped back from him, "Very good, Mr. Spock. Meet me in the sickbay."

Ending the comm Jim stood up and looked back out the window for a few moments before turning around and starting to walk from the room.

"Jim," Farrah said grabbing hold of his wrist and making him turn to her.

"I know my words probably haven't helped you," She told him letting go of his arm and walking closer, "Just know...I have faith you'll make the right decision," She told him with a fierce look.

Jim nodded and continued on his way to the med bay.

* * *

Gary Mitchell sat on a bed in the med bay while McCoy scanned him. Jim was standing at the end of the bed watching them. He had come in only five minutes earlier with Spock, who now stood to the side.

He looked at Gary with visible sadness as anyone in the room could tell. Only one truly sympathized, the second only hoping his Captain made the logical decision. And the third well...

"Why so sad Jim?" Gary asked with a smirk looking over at the man hardly paying any attention to Dr. McCoy.

"Are you reading all our thoughts, Gary?" Jim asked him in reply.

"Not thoughts exactly, Jim. More like...colors," Gary explained, "I feel like a blind man who can suddenly see," He told him before leaning in Jim's direction, "Who can suddenly do anything. Does that scare you?"

Jim took a few moments before he answered, "What would you do in my place, Gary?"

"Probably what I'm sensing Mr. Spock prefers," Gary replied looking over at the Vulcan in question whose head had turned to him slightly, "Kill me while it's still possible."

"I don't have a choice, Gary," Jim replied sadly.

Gary nodded before standing up from the bed, "I know we're orbiting Delta Vega, Jim," he said turning to face him, "I can't let you strand me there."

Before anyone in the room could blink, electricity shot out of Gary's hands and straight into Jim who fell back from the force of it. Spock caught him as he fell, while McCoy came up behind Gary shoving a hypospray into his neck knocking him out.

"Captain-" Spock said to Jim as he rubbed his head only to be interrupted.

"I'm fine, Spock..." Jim told him while getting back on his feet, still rubbing his head as a searing pain rushed to his temple.

"Thanks, Bones." Jim said to McCoy as he laid Gary's unconscious form on the floor.

"Sedative's not gonna work much longer, Jim. That was enough to knock out most of the Klingon Empire," Bones said to him while scanning Gary again, looking at the readings, "Hopefully it's enough to get him down to the surface," He said standing up from kneeling to look over at them.

* * *

Inside the Mineral Processing Facility on Delta Vega, five people were beamed there.

Jim held Gary's unconscious form as the three other people stood just off to his side.

They all looked around the Facility, seeing monitors broken and glass on the floor. Wires hanging loosely off the sides of railings. Outside the planet was mostly desert rocks with only shrubbery for plants.

"Mr. Scott, you and Kelso find what you need to get warp back online," Jim said looking over at them, "I don't want to stay here a second longer than we need to."

"Aye, Sir," Scotty replied as he and Kelso took off to look for supplies.

"Spock, we'll put Gary in the station's crew quarters," Jim said looking over at Spock who carried a rifle phaser gun, much more powerful than the average holstered one.

"Get the force field ready. As soon as he's secure we're gone," Jim told him looking back down to Gary.

* * *

The two of them had put Gary in an average sized crew's quarters. It had a metal framed single bed up against the cracking cement wall.

Now Gary sat up and awake with his hands between his knees on the bed shaking his head, "Jim..." He sighed, "...Jim, you ignorant, ignorant...insect," He said to Jim as he and Spock stood looking in on the room from outside the doors behind the force field.

"I'm sorry, Gary," Jim apologized truly meaning it, "If there's any part of Gary left inside you," He added quietly.

"Spock stranded you on another Delta Vega once, didn't he?" Gary said to him knowingly, "And now you're doing the same to me, with nothing but a replicator for company," Gary continued looking at the machine in the corner of the room, seemingly offended, "Not very Starfleet of you, is it?" He asked turning back to Jim.

"Doctor McCoy tells me you're way beyond hunger and thirst now," Jim replied, "Way beyond anything human..." He said trailing off and then continuing. "You're a danger to the ship. Until we can find a way to help you, leaving you here is the only option."

Gary looked up at Jim, "You should have killed me, Jim," He said to him, "Command and compassion is a fool's mixture."

Gary stood up suddenly and walked through the force field on the doors as it buzzed but he continued unaffected, shooting electricity out of his hands and aiming at both Jim and Spock.

He continued pumping it into them until they both collapsed on the ground, unconscious. He smiled down at them before walking off.

* * *

"Scotty, I found a 203-R I think we can bring it back to life," Kelso said into the comm.

He and Scotty had decided to part ways to make the search quicker, and he had luckily found something.

_"Excellent, Mr. Kelso!"_ Scotty replied in the comm happy they had found something else useful, _"I'm beaming up this batch of crystals now. See you in engineering."_

"Very good, Mr. Sc-" Kelso started to reply but stopped hearing a noise behind him.

He turned around slightly and saw him walking closer, "Gary!" He shouted in surprise and fear.

He had not seen the glowing whites that were now Gary's eyes until now. The only time he had seen Gary was when he was unconscious. And frankly he hasn't really believed it when he'd been told their color.

"Gary, what happened? Where's the Captain?" Kelso asked him slowly turning around fully.

"Don't do it, Kelso," Gary replied walking closer, "Don't go for your-"

Kelso pulled out his phaser gun, aiming it at Gary, "Stop tight there, Gary. Tell me what's going on," Kelso said to him.

"-phaser," Gary finished his sentence sighing at the end.

Suddenly, like Kelso was not controlling his body, the hand holding his phaser started to move of its own accord, turning its aim on himself, "Gary, what are you-" Kelso started to ask while trying and failing of holding his arm back.

"We were such good friends once, weren't we? You and me and Jim." Gary said to him watching as Kelso used his free hand to try and push his other hand away.

"But now it feels like... Someone else's memory..." Gary said to him turning around and starting to walk in the direction he came.

"Gary, please," Kelso begged struggling to hold his arm back as it got closer until finally it was aimed at his head, "Please...no," Kelso said after him as tears began to fill his eyes.

"Goodbye, Kelso," Gary replied in a sing-song voice.

The sound of the phaser gong off, followed by a thump were al that he heard as he exited the room.

* * *

"Scotty...what..." Jim mumbled as he saw the blurry image of Scotty standing over him helping him stand.

"It's terrible Captain! Mr. Mitchell's escaped..." Scotty replied.

"Escaped?" Jim repeated in confusion, his memory a bit distorted but coming back to him.

"And Mr. Kelso... He's dead, Sir," Scotty told him sadly.

"Gary, What have you done..." Jim sad to himself as he stood up on his own rubbing his temple once again, he'd had enough of being shocked, and so had his body.

"Where is Mitchell now, Mr. Scott?" Spock asked standing up behind them, having heard their conversation as he regained consciousness.

"Gone," Scotty replied, "I cannae find him."

"It's a good thing you didn't Scotty," Jim said to him before turning to Spock, "Give me the rifle," Spock did as requested and Jim took it off his hands.

"Chekov, do you copy?" Jim said into the comm.

"_Aye, Keptin!"_ Came the reply.

"Get me a reading in Mr. Mitchell. He can't be far from the station," Jim requested before turning it off and looking at his two friends.

"Scotty, get back to the ship and get her ready to go," Jim said to him and Scotty nodded in reply.

"Spock, you have the conn," Jim told him.

"Captain, I strongly advise against confronting Mitchell alone," Spock replied.

"I know what needs to be done, Spock. And I'm the one that has to do it," Jim told him, "If I'm not back in three hours, Quarantine the planet and get the hell out of here," Jim said sending him a fierce look, "Captains orders."

* * *

Chekov had sent Jim the coordinates for Gary, and he was on his way there now, climbing over rocks to get there.

Jim hadn't wanted to admit it, but he knew it would come to this in the end. He realized Spock was right. Whatever had taken over Gary...Whatever killed Kelso... It wasn't Gary anymore. He just hoped it was still mortal enough for him to-

His thoughts were cut off as a taunting voice called out, "That's it, James!"

Following the voice, which he recognized as Gary's, though it wasn't really him speaking. He walked through a small crevice aiming his gun.

"Almost there!" Gary called out again.

Jim emerged from the rocks to find Gary leaning against a boulder smiling, "Kaferian apple?" He asked holding up the green fruit.

"I can make as many as you want," Gary told him, "Behold a miracle. Life born from rock."

The ground rumbled slightly and then a large plant grew from the ground up as Jim watched in amazement. Soon more plants followed, some even growing into trees, others into large pink flowers, and even grass.

Jim slowly let the gun rest to his side as he looked at the plants in fear and amazement, if the thing inhabiting Gary's body could bring a ten foot _tree_, to this planet in under ten seconds, what else could he do?

"I can feel your fear. But there's no reason to be afraid," Gary told him happily, "I'm the god of life now,Jim," Gary said holding his hands up and gesturing to the still growing plants around him.

Jim lifted the gun back up again and took aim while Gary calmly looked back at him, "And to think, all you came here to do was kill me," Gary said shaking his head.

"Gary, if there's any part of you that can still hear me..." Jim said to him, "I'm sorry."

Jim fired the rifle, and the energy headed straight for Gary.

* * *

_ I know I have been kind of lacking in the Farrah/Jim department but there will be some of that next chapter! I think I need to come up with a pairing name for them, but I am horrid at that kind of stuff! _


	23. Chapter 23

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah. _

_Thanks so much for the reviews! They inspire me to write more!_

* * *

Gary held up his hand, the energy hitting it and being absorbed with a crack.

"Pathetic," Gary hissed.

Electricity erupted from him becoming visible as he grew angrier while shouting at Jim, "You think you could kill me? You think you could kill a god!" He yelled before the electricity died disappearing and he seemed to calm.

"I can change your whole world on a whim," Gary told Jim holding his hands up and the next thing they knew, they were not on that Delta Vega anymore.

They were inside the bar in Iowa; it was empty, but just as Jim had remembered it. Same checkered flooring, same square and circle tables with empty glasses on them.

"Remember this?" Gary asked with a raised eyebrow and the scene changed.

Now many people filled the bar, except they were all looking at the figure of Jim, well his past self. He was lying flat on his back, his head hanging off the edge of the table, a bloody face with a bloody shirt.

He remembered this very well.

"Wasting your youth on farm girls and motorbikes while I was already training at the Academy," Gary told him gesturing to the past Jim.

"But wait a second, that's not the case anymore is it," Gary said to him with a smirk, "Let's look to the right a bit."

They did so and among the other people crowded around him he saw Farrah, in the same black dress he remembered she was wearing the night they met.

"You often think about her, Jim," Gary commented looking over at him. "But don't worry, she thinks about you to."

"Or what about this?" Gary asked and the next moment found them in the auditorium at the Starfleet Academy.

They looked up in the stands, seeing hundreds of cadets looking down at the pull out desks in concentration.

"Sweating it out at exam time!" Gary said pointing to the figure of Jim in the stands, "Wishing your pal Gary was there to slip you the answers."

"You wouldn't have that Captains chair without me," Gary said to him darkly, "And now you want to destroy me," He said it more like a statement than a question.

"Gary...stop," Jim said to him looking at his past self, that's exactly what he'd been wishing during the exam.

"If you say so," Gary replied.

They found themselves back on Delta Vega, though they had never really left. They were in the same place as before, except now all the plants were gone and it was as if they had never been there at all. It was only dry rock and orange skies now.

"I'll give you a decent burial, Jim," Gary told him stepping closer, "After I take over your ship. "Captain Gary Mitchell." I like that," He said to him nodding as his lips twitched in a forming smirk, "A fun role to play, at least until I get bored, then I will kill all the crew members, starting with your girlfriend," Gary taunted him now smirking openly, trying to get a rise out of Jim, but he wasn't lying about his plans.

"Whoever...whatever you are now, I know you aren't Gary Mitchell," Jim told him holding back his anger at the threat against his crew, his family.

"I can't let you leave this planet," Jim told him calmly.

"But you know you can't stop me," Gary replied easily, "Sounds like your basic no-win scenario."

"Kneel, Captain," Gary ordered, or wished it, as the gun dropped from Jim's hand as he fell to his knees against his will.

"Kneel before me and beg forgiveness!" Gary shouted menacingly as he looked at Jim as he kneeled in pain before him, "Beg forgiveness for failing your ship, your crew, your planet."

Jim's hands came together as he looked up at Gary who continued to speak, "Beg forgiveness for your pitiful bravado that thinks it's enough to overcome any obstacle."

"Beg forgiveness for being human," Gary said twisting his hand as Jim fell, his elbows touching the desert rock in a bow.

Spock came up behind Gary, using the Vulcan nerve punch on him, "Enough," He said to Gary as he fell to the ground.

Jim felt the pressure to kneel leave him and quickly scrambled to his feet picking up the gun again and aiming it at Gary as he groaned.

"Captain-" Spock started to say but Jim cut him off.

"Stand back, Spock," Jim replied looking down at his friend.

"Jim..." He mumbled pushing himself on his back from his stomach, "Jim..."

Opening his eye lids, instead of the white they had expected, it was the normal dark browns of Gary Mitchell's.

"Do it, Jim-" Gary started to say to him.

"-Gary? Your eyes!" Jim interrupted looking down at them as one began to faintly glow again.

"Do it before-" Gary cut himself off squeezing his eyes shut in an attempt to hold back the being inside of him.

Jim slowly aimed the rifle back to Gary's chest and fired, sending blue energy straight to his chest. Gary groaned and twitched before growing still as his shirt smoked.

The gun dropped from Jim's grip as he let himself drop as well falling to his knees and putting his hands on his head while staring at Gary with tears in his eyes.

* * *

Jim was back in the conference room looking out the window at space, having left Delta Vega some time ago.

The door hissed and Spock walked inside, "Captain," He greeted.

"Mr. Spock! Is everything all right?" Jim asked turning around to face him.

"All systems are functioning optimally, Sir. Mr. Sulu has the helm," Spock replied, "Forgive me for the intrusion. I thought...I thought perhaps later you might join me in a game of chess. Mr. Mitchell often...Gary often spoke of your proficiency," Spock explained stepping just a bit closer to him.

Jim didn't reply for a few moments, "...I would like that."

"Very well, Captain. I will be in Engineering should you need me," Spock replied backing out of the room.

"Thank you, Commander," Jim replied as Spock left the room and the doors closed with a hiss.

* * *

Jim was in his quarters sitting on the bed staring blankly at the stark white wall.

But inside he was a mess of thoughts.

Both Mitchell and Kelso gave their lives in the performance of their duties. But even knowing that didn't make the pain that he had to be the one to kill them any less. Sure he could have let Spock or someone else do the awful deed but that would only make him a coward. He was the Captain, and although he was young, he knew Farrah's words rang true. The crew did look up to him, and he would not have any member of the crew kill another, even if it was for everyone's sake.

Seeing Gary regain some control in the end and looking in his eyes, those brown eyes, for even just a moment. It had given him the courage to pull the trigger when Gary had spoken, telling him to kill him. He knew that some part of Gary was inside him, he had been right the entire time. He only wished that there could have been something else he could have done to save him and Kelso.

The image of Gary looking up at him as one eye began to glow again would never leave his mind. It was like it was burned there.

He had killed people before, many of the Romulans on Nero's vessel had died at his hand. He felt only a small amount of guilt for that. But with Gary...Gary was his friend and he had killed him.

The guilt was almost to much for him.

* * *

Farrah set her hand on Kelso's pod where he lay dead. It was completely black and only had the silver lettering of his name to identify it.

This is what happened to those killed on planets, or on the ship itself. If other crew members were able to get to the body. They would be buried in space, floating among the stars.

Farrah wished they could have returned Mitchell's and Kelso's bodies back to earth, back to their families. But it was against Starfleet regulation to keep them aboard for however long it took for them to once again return to Earth. She would like to have the _Enterprise_ return to Earth right now , but knew they couldn't.

She hadn't known either of them well, but knew that they were friends of Jim. So she had befriended them, and found herself liking them both. Lee Kelso was like a free spirit who was living his dream of seeing the stars. And Gary Mitchell was always ready to tell her a story about Jim at the Academy.

She would miss them both, and knew Jim wold be in terrible pain. Not the physical pain, the emotional and soulful pain that was probably crushing him.

"It's time Lass," Scotty's voice said from behind her as he put a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you Scotty," Farrah replied using the nickname that everyone else had started using.

Farrah and Scotty both stepped back as four crew members took the pods containing Kelso and Mitchell and they were loaded into the ejection tubes. They closed the openings with large circular white metal plates that locked with a hiss.

They could hear the faint sound of the hole on the outside of the Enterprise opening up. And then pods were shot out into space.

* * *

After saying goodbye to Scotty, Farrah had left him to go and see Jim.

She stopped at his doorway putting her hand on the scanner to let herself inside his quarters. The door opened with a hiss and she stepped inside walking towards Jim as he sat on his bed staring at the wall.

The doors closed behind her locking automatically and she knew only she and Jim could go inside the room without permission. It was the same for her quarters, they had both programmed their hand prints into each others.

She sat on the bed beside him and put her hand on his shoulders, turning him to face her and not the white wall she was sure would only remind him of the color of Gary's eyes.

She wrapped her arms around Jim as his head came to rest between her neck and shoulder. He didn't move, just went along with whatever she was doing, before he seemed to wake up and he slowly put his arms around her.

"My friends were buried today. Not just my friends. Members of my crew," Jim said to her, voice slightly muffled, "And I know that this pain...this terrible searing pain...I know that it's my job to bear it... Because the lives of the rest of the crew depend on it," He admitted to her.

Farrah let go of him and pulled back slightly to put a hand on his cheek while looking up at him, "You don't have to bear it alone," Farrah said to him seriously.

Jim reached his hand up and moved a strand of hair from her face, staring straight into her eyes, "I love you," He told her.

The threat against his crew had really opened his eyes to how much he was worried for her safety. He had a suspicion back on Earth that he loved her, but it was only confirmed there in space.

"I love you to," Farrah replied honestly, admitting it to him like she had her father.

Slowly their faces moved closer and there lips touched. It was a kiss filled with love, but also pain.

Farrah wrapped her arms around his back pulling Jim closer to her while letting herself fall back to lay on his bed. Jim continued kissing her gently and cautiously at first before he seemed to become more sure of what they were doing and kissed her deeply.

All the pain and guilt he felt for killing Gary left him as he felt her burning touch. Her lips moved away from his and reached his jaw tracing the lines of his ear to his collarbone. Her lips were soft and warm against his skin as her hands reached under his shirt running up his spine.

Jim pulled them upright so they were kneeling in front of each other. Reaching up he put his hand on Farrah's neck as the other on her hip.

She pulled away, looking at him in deeply in the eyes. He gave her a silent question, and she gave him a silent reply in return.

Farrah let go of him and reached down to the hem of her shirt, pulling it over head and flinging it to the floor.

Jim looked down at her body while running his hands over her stomach. To him she was perfect. Reaching down he pulled off his own uniform letting it join hers on the floor. She ran her hands up his chest resting them on his shoulders as their lips joined again. Reaching behind, he gently pulled her down to the bed and let her lay underneath him.

;";" ; ;


	24. Chapter 24

_A/N: _

_I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC character Farrah! :)_

Okay. I bet you all hate me… I hate me. And I know it doesn't really count for much BUT I AM SOOO SOOO SORRY! I don't think I will be able to update everyday like before, but you should get a new chapter at least once a week!

Anyways, I will shut up now and let you get to the newest instalment of A Relentless Pursuit!

* * *

**2 weeks later.**

* * *

_Captains Log: En route to Makus III with a cargo of medical supplies, our course leads us past Murasaki 312, an unexplored Quasar-like formation, and priceless opportunity for scientific investigation. On board is Federation High Commissioner Ferris, overseeing the delivery of the supplies to Makus III._

* * *

"I am entirely opposed to this delay! Your mission is to get the supplies to Makus III in time for their transfer to New Paris!" Commissioner Ferris yelled out to Jim in annoyance of the delay, he could care less about anymore scientific discoveries.

Jim sighed, he couldn't believe he was stuck with this guy for a few more days. He looked over at Ferris, the man staring at him with an accusatory glare, his stance just screaming self-importance. The guy seemed to think he was part of the New Paris royalty when he was just a commissioner assigned to accompany the medical supplies, supplies which New Paris was in need of for the plague it was suffering from but Jim had his orders so surly another few days wouldn't hurt it.

"We'll be there in plenty of time, Commissioner," Jim replied calmly, doing his best to hide his annoyance with the man, "In the meantime I have standing orders to investigate any unusual phenomena we encounter. Murasaki 312 definitely qualifies," Jim said to him before turning away to sit in the captains chair, his chair, when he saw the commissioner had nothing to say, thank God...

Sighing Jim flipped the switch to comm. the shuttle, "Captain to Galileo, whenever you're ready Mr. Spock."

* * *

Inside the shuttle bay, Farrah sat back inside the Galileo Seven shuttle between her two friends, Lenny and Scotty. It had been just over 2 weeks since the... incident with Gary. And everyone noticed how Jim had bounced back to his usual self, like nothing had happened. Only those close to him could see he had changed. There was just something about him now, something they couldn't really put a name on, but he had, and no one was really sure if it had been for the better.

To her though, he was still Jim, her Jim. The sarcastic, arrogant, caring, and protective Captain she had fallen in love with. After the night that the two of them spent together after Gary, she couldn't deny the words she said to him, and what he had said to her. She knew Jim loved her, she could see it in the way he looked at her, even when they weren't alone and had to be more reserved with their relationship in front of the crew.

"Aye, Captain. All systems ready," She heard Spock reply into the comm. to Jim.

She felt the shuttle lift off and they were flying out of the Enterprise.

"I cannae _wait_ to stretch my legs on solid ground!" Scotty said to her and Lenny enthusiastically.

Farrah couldn't help but agree with him, it would be nice to be standing in something other than the Enterprise's white walls surrounded by thousands of crew members. Although it wasn't Earth, it was still better than nothing.

"As much as I love engineering-_and I truly do_-its not exactly built for recreation!" Scotty continued looking between Farrah and Lenny for agreement.

"I must remind you that the purpose of our mission is scientific, Mr. Scott. Is not recreational," Spock informed him causing Scotty to look towards the cockpit in surprise, he should have known Mr. Spock would hear him with his damn Vulcan ears.

"Aye, I suppose…" Scotty agreed before brightening, "But why cannae we combine the two for once?"

Only a second after Scotty had finished speaking did the shuttle begin to shake and orange light began to filter through the windows coming from a strange explosion ahead of them.

"Mr. Latimer report," Spock said to the co-pilot.

"Some sort of ionic disturbance! It's interfering with the controls!" Latimer replied looking down at the console that was going crazy, "Radiations increasing fast! Were being pulled right into the center of that thing!"

"Galileo to Enterprise. Galileo to Enterprise, come in, please," Spock said into the comm. that came to life.

* * *

"We are being pulled off course into the heart of-" Spock's voice cut off inside the Enterprise as Jim stood behind Nyota at the communications console.

"What happened?" Jim asked her, doing well to hide the worry in his voice.

"They completely cut out! The last message was something about being off course…" Nyota trailed off worriedly, both her love, Spock and her best friend, Farrah were on that shuttle.

Jim turned away from Nyota and shouted to Chekov, "Mr. Chekov, scan for the Galileo!"

Pavel nodded before doing as asked quickly before answering, "Scanners are blank, Keptin! Ionization is disrupting all systems!"

"This is exactly what I was afraid of! We cannot afford any delay in the delivery to Makus III!" The Commissioner commented unhelpfully.

Jim whipped his head around to him, he was not in the mood to deal with this guy. Members of his crew were who knows where with no way to contact them, Farrah was out there, "What do you want me to do? Turn around and leave my crew behind?" Jim asked the Commissioner incredulously.

"You shouldn't have sent them out there in the first place!" Ferris replied pointing a finger at Jim, but he went ignored.

"Captain. There is one planet capable of sustaining human life. Taurus II. It's unexplored. Dead center of the Murasaki effect," Nyota informed reading off her screens as Jim turned back to her.

"That's our best bet," Jim agreed before turning away, "Mr. Sulu, set a course for Taurus II!"

"Aye, sir!" Sulu agreed.

* * *

"Is everyone alright?" Spock called out to his crew as he walked out of the cockpit.

"Your chief medical officer would appreciate a potent hypo-spray if you had one handy…" Leonard said to him checking out Farrah's head for any damage. The 'whack' he had heard on the way down to the stupid planet they were on had come from her head hitting the metal pole.

Why had he even agreed to come on this mission? Why had he even stepped foot on the shuttle? While he had mostly gotten over his aviaphobia, he did not appreciate being thrown around in a _crash_ landing like this one. He could deal with being in a shuttle for a few moments until they got to the Enterprise, the very _large_ Enterprise or a planet or wherever their destination was, but he drew the line at crashing.

"Lenny stop, I'm fine!" Farrah groaned trying to pull away from him, "I've had plenty of bumps on the head before, you should know! You're the one who's treated them each time."

"Exactly! You should be used to this by now," Lenny said pulling out one of his portable scanner things he always carried around with him.

Farrah sighed once again becoming annoyed, of course they had to crash, and she had to hit her head. Instead she turned her attention over to Scotty standing up and waking from Lenny's grasp and over to her other friend. From the corner of her eye she could see him throw his hands up in exasperation before moving on to another unlucky crew member.

"What a mess! The ionic interference-not to mention the bumpy landing-have completely thrashed our propulsion and guidance systems!" She heard Scotty say to himself unsurprisingly.

"So in simpler terms were screwed?" Farrah said to him.

"Aye, lass," Scotty agreed turning away from the panels and over to her.

"Atmospheric reading, Dr. McCoy?" Spock's voice drew their attention over to him and the doctor.

They watched and listened as Lenny looked down at his data-pad for a few moments before answering them, "Breathable," He said finally before continuing, "But I wouldn't recommend running a marathon in it."

Spock nodded before turning to Scotty, "Mr. Scott, please continue with your assessment of the damage."

Scotty nodded before mumbling to himself and going back over to the panels. After just a glance he couldn't help but agree with his little female friend, _they were screwed. _

"The rest of us should gather outside and give Mr. Scott the room he needs to work," Spock said to the rest of them before turning to two lieutenants, "Mr. Latimer, Mr. Gaetano, arm yourselves and scout the area. Keep in visual contact with the ship."

"Aye, Sir!" The both replied before getting their weapons and then leaving the shuttle.

Farrah watched them leave with an uneasy feeling; something told her this planet wasn't the safest to be on.

Lenny seeing her worried face squeezed her shoulder to offer her some form of comfort, "Don't you worry, the Enterprise will come looking for us soon enough."

Farrah nodded in agreement and gave him a tight smile; she knew he was right. They were probably looking for them all right now, and if she knew Jim, which she _did_ he wouldn't stop until they were found. Not even that stuffy commissioner could stop him. But just when she began to feel more than a sliver of hope, Spock had to open up his big mouth.

"If the ionization effect is as strong as I believe it is, their scanners will be compromised. They will have to resort to a visual search," Spock said to them as the other crew members filled outside the doors, "Unfortunately, I am reminded of an old earth expression 'A needle in a haystack.'"

"You don't think they'll find us?" Lenny asked Spock in reply.

"Not while we are grounded. We may be here for a _very long time_, Doctor," Spock replied.

Farrah looked over at Lenny wincing on the inside before she squeezed his shoulder this time, it didn't seem like she was the one needing to be comforted after all…

* * *

"Uhura, anything?" Jim asked her from the chair. It had been over an hour since they had lost contact.

"Nothing, Captain. The quasar is disrupting all communications," Nyota replied sadly before looking down at her screen.

She knew she had to be strong, to keep a level head. They had already lost so many good people, she would not let them lose anymore.

"_Spock….if you can hear me.. I'm gonna kill you if you don't come back.. and the same goes for you Fae,"_ She whispered to herself so quietly she could barely hear herself.

"Keptin, transporters are compromised by the ionization! Even if we could find zem, we could not beam zem back aboard!" Chekov said to Kirk sadly, wishing he had good news.

Jim nodded though Chekov wasn't even looking at him before he turned on his comm, "Kirk to shuttle bay: prepare all shuttled for immediate departure to the surface of Taurus II for visual reconnaissance. Correlate coordinates with Mr. Chekov."

"You really think that will work?" Commissioner Ferris questioned him.

Jim clenched his fists together, hadn't this guy _left_ the bridge yet? Or maybe he had just been doing_ that_ good of a job ignoring him, "I wont stop searching until the last possible second, Commissioner."

"Very well, but not one second more, is that understood?" He asked, but Jim did what he did best. Ignored him.

And he didn't seem to like that one bit, "If it isn't, I suggest you look at Starfleet Regulations. Book 19 , section 33, paragraph 12. Despite your brief tenure in Starfleet, you have already developed a reputation for neglecting protocol."

"I'm familiar with the regulations, Commissioner. I know all about authority. And whatever my reputation…" Jim trailed off before looking up at the Commissioner with a hard resolve in his eyes that even he couldn't deny, "I wont give up on my crew..."

* * *

I just want to thank everyone for all the reviews I received! They inspired me so much. And all the newcomers thank you for favoriting/following. And all the old comers. Thank you so much for sticking with me! ... (if you're still there that is..)

And to answer a question, yes the USS Valiant was not my creation, its from the original Star Trek universe, which is why I imagine you have seen it places before now!

I had expected to be able to update a lot this summer but then next thing I knew it was August, and then I was busy and had no time to write, and then it was September, and now October. But now that summer is over I should be back into the flow of things.

Until next time!


	25. Chapter 25

_A/N:_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah! :)_

* * *

Farrah looked through a pair of binoculars at the red wasteland around them. The rocks were a deep burgundy red, and even the sky was red and brown, like how earth would be blue and have clouds of white. On top of that it was a wasteland; she couldn't see any form of plants anywhere she looked. Nothing but rocks, rocks and more rock in the formation of craters, pillars, boulders, you name it. She had no idea how they even had oxygen without the plants and she didn't see any water either. The air tasted stale and dry, but it was breathable so that had to count the planet for something.

"Well, I can't say much for the circumstances, but at least this is your big chance!" She heard Lenny say to Spock who stood a few feet behind her.

"My big chance for what Doctor?" Spock asked him.

Farrah was wondering the same thing, or perhaps the lack of good air was getting to him…

"C'mon, Spock. You'll never say it, but I know it's eating at you that Jim sits in the big chair. Now you get a chance to give the orders again!" Lenny shouted at him.

She rolled her eyes, it was just like him to lash out when he was nervous. And no offence but Spock made a perfect target for someone like Lenny, he didn't need to worry about the target lashing back at him. And there were many things he could say to the Vulcan. She wondered if he wrote them down whenever he thought of another thing, she wouldn't be surprised if he had an entire journal full of them.

"I am a logical man, Doctor. Captain Kirk's promotion was a natural result of the events that brought us together," Spock replied calmly turning to her friend, "I realize command had its fascination. But I neither enjoy the idea, nor am I frightened by it. It simply exists. And I will do whatever logically needs to be done to resolve our predicament."

"Fair enough," Lenny relented before looking around them, "But something tells me were gonna need more than logic to get out of this…"

Farrah couldn't help but agree as she watched Latimer and Gaetano walk up a large rock hill, the two men disappearing behind a bend and out of her sight.

"What do you see Lieutenant Pike?" Spock asked from behind her.

"Rocks… and more rocks… and over there is... well would you look at that… more rocks," Farrah replied with fake surprise taking the binoculars from her eyes and turning to face him.

She expected a response, maybe something like "No need for sarcasm Lieutenant," But she watched Spock look around them before nodding in what she thought was agreement.

She smirked a little before returning the binoculars to her eyes to look around again, only seeing red rocks… and rocks... and rocks…

* * *

On the other side of a large building sized rock formation, Latimer and Gaetano ascended higher, even passing through a thick fog.

"Can't see the shuttle through this fog…" Gaetano called back to Latimer.

'_Ghhhrrrrrrrhhhhhhrrrrrr' _

"Stop!" Latimer called back to him hearing a strange noise, "Did you hear that?" He asked Gaetano.

'_Ghhhhhrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhrrrrrrrr' _

This time Gaetano did hear it, as it was louder and went on for longer.

"It's all around us!" Latimer called as they went back to back and put their phaser out in front of them.

'_Ghhhhhhhhrrrrrrrrrrrr' _

"Let's get out of here!" Gaetano called back looking around him for the source of the noise.

'_Ghhhhhhrrrrrrrrr!' _

"Yeah…" Latimer agreed looking around him uneasily, "Yeah, I think that's a good-AH!" He screamed the last part loudly in excruciating pain.

Gaetano turned to him at the sound of his scream, "Latimer!" He yelled out turning to look over at him, his eyes widening in shock.

* * *

"AH!" They heard come from the direction of Latimer and Gaetano, the scream echoing across the rocks.

"Miss. Pike! Mr. Boma! Doctor! With me!" Spock yelled running in the direction the scream had come from, the three people right behind him, with phasers drawn at the ready.

They raced to the direction of the scream, and not a minute later found Gaetano leaning over Latimer… who had a giant spear protruding from his back and his yellow Starfleet uniform coated with blood.

"Mr. Gaetano! What happened?" Spock asked looking over at the man who stood up as McCoy ran over to Latimer.

"Latimer! He's…gone…" Gaetano replied walking over to Spock as Farrah and Mr. Boma looked around them with wary eyes but saw nothing besides the rocks.

"I couldn't see it! But we could _hear _it all around us! Like an animal-!" Gaetano explained the best he could before looking over at Latimer again and drawing a hand to his face before walking away from them to get some much-needed space.

Farrah couldn't find anything around them to suggest who the attackers were, or even _where_ they were. She and Boma lowered their weapons, but still remained on alert should they come back.

She walked over to Lenny who had just pulled the spear out of Latimer's back as gently as he could even though the man was…dead. She had just seen he and Gaetano walk behind a bend only two minutes ago. How could something like this happen so quickly? How could anything this horrible?

"Whatever threw this must be considerably bigger than us," Lenny said holding the spear in his hands.

The rock point covered in Latimer's blood was longer than his own head and about as wide as his hand. To hold it, and then throw it, they had to be considerably larger than them.

"A Folsom point. Fascinating," Spock said looking at the spear.

'What?" McCoy asked confused.

"This blade is remarkably similar to that of a Folsom point, characteristic of a stone age earth culture located in the area formerly known as North America," Spock explained taking the spear and holding it up right, even though it reached well over his head, "A crude design, but efficient."

"Efficient? Is that all you have to say?" Boma yelled at him angrily before walking closer, "Our crew mate is dead and you're talking about Archaeology?"

"My concern for Latimer will not bring him back, Mr. Boma," Spock said to him calmly.

That only seemed to agitate Boma more, as he took another step forward and started to raise his hands. But before it could go any further, Lenny stepped in between them.

"Okay, let's just… assess the situation. We're not safe standing out here like sitting ducks," He said to them before walking over to Latimer, "Let's get Latimer's body back to the ship."

"Very well, Doctor. If you need any assistance-" Spock agreed but Lenny was already picking up Latimer's feet, "We'll handle it, Commander. Mr. Boma, give me a hand," Lenny said to the young dark-haired man, who nodded walking over and grabbing Latimer's arms.

The five Starfleet members began the trek down the rocks and back to the shuttle; only hoping Scotty had good news for them.

* * *

Spock entered the shuttle and turned to find Scotty sitting on the floor of the shuttle surrounded by wires of all shapes and sizes, "Status, Mr. Scott?" He asked him.

"Thirsty, Mr. Spock!" Scotty replied looking over at him, "For some reason that I've neither the time nor the patience to discern, the power has miraculously drained from our engines. Without another power source, were stuck here," Scotty continued as he stood up from the floor to face Spock.

Just after that, Lenny and Gaetano came inside the shuttle carrying Latimer's body.

Mercia Rand, a Starfleet officer who had stayed behind with Scotty gasped when she saw the body, holding a hand to her mouth, "Oh, no…Joseph," She cried out.

But she had no time for mourning as Gaetano came running inside the shuttle, "They're here! The animals that killed Latimer!" He shouted at them.

And behind him Farrah ran in, "They must have followed us back here," She told them in a much calmer voice the Gaetano, after all she hadn't been there when Latimer was killed.

'_Ghhhhrrrrrrrrr' _

That didn't mean she couldn't hear them now though. She and Gaetano turned around and pulled their phasers out as all crew members of the Galileo except Mr. Scott followed after them, all armed as well.

'_Ghhhhhhrrrrrrrrr'_

As the six of them hid behind the burgundy rocks, they heard the growling come again, this time louder.

'_Ghhhhhhhhrrrrrrrrrrrrr'_

"They're all around us!" Gaetano yelled out to them getting ready to just shoot anywhere.

'_Ghhhhhhhhhrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhrrrrrrrr'_

"Hold your fire Mr. Gaetano!" Spock called out to him in reply.

"We need to hit them before they hit us!" McCoy yelled out looking around for any sign of the creatures.

'_Ghhhhhhrrrrrrrr! Ghhhhhhhhrrrrrrrrr! Ghhhhhhrrrrrrr'_

"They're getting ready to attack!" Gaetano guessed, half paranoid and half right.

'_Ghhhhhhhrrrrrrr!'_

"We have to do something," Rand said to them.

"Agreed!" Gaetano said to her.

"It's only logical," Lenny said to them.

'_Ghhhhhrrrrrrrrrrr!'_

"You hear that commander?" Boma said to Spock who was beside Farrah, "The majority says-"

"I am not interested in the opinion of the majority, Mr. Boma!" Spock replied looking around as the growling continued around them, "We have an obligation to protect all indigenous life we encounter, friendly or not. We will fire our weapons only to frighten, _not_ to kill," He said and waited until they all nodded, although a bit reluctantly.

'_Ghhhhhhrrrrr!'_

"Take aim at the rock formations closest to you. On my command…" Spock ordered as they all readied their weapons into position, "Fire!"

Phasers went off hitting the rock formations and creating small explosions of rock and blue light, the sound drowning out the growls.

They all continued firing for only a minute before stopping, the rock formations they had fired at was left in a smoking heap of rubble and dust.

"Stay alert…They may still be close…" Spock said quietly as they waited.

Another minute passed, and they heard no growls from the animals stalking them.

"It appears our show of force was sufficient to scare them off," Spock concluded lowering his weapon, all the others following his example.

"I still say we take the fight to them. Eliminate the threat before they come back in greater numbers," Boma said to Spock, looking around them warily.

"Your opinion is duly noted, Mr. Boma. But our orders and the responsibility for them remain mine alone…" Spock replied before turning to walk back inside the shuttle.

* * *

Thank you all so much for the reviews I appreciate them so much! And thank you to everyone else for favouriting and following, as well as reading!


	26. Chapter 26

A/N:

Disclaimer: I do now own Star Trek. I do not claim to. I only own my OC Farrah Pike! :)

* * *

_Captain's Log: We continue to search for any sign of the Galileo. But every minute that goes by brings a greater sense of futility. And great loss._

* * *

On the inside, Jim Kirk was not calm; in fact, he was anything but calm. It was now over _twelve _hours since they had heard or seen any sign from the Galileo. Members of his crew were missing out in space, the woman he_ loved_ was missing out in space.

He could hardly get over the fact that he had even admitted it to her over two weeks ago, because he had known for longer than that. He knew the moment Christopher Pike had caught them kissing on her doorstep. Because he was terrified of what the man would do. Usually it was a one-time thing, and when Jim ran into any fathers he wasn't around long enough to even be afraid for himself. He had no reason too.

But when he had been terrified Christopher was going to tell him to stay away from Farrah, he decided without a moment's hesitation that it wouldn't stop him, nothing he could do would stop him from dating his daughter, because he_ loved_ her. The only people he had ever really loved in his life were his mother, and his brother before he had left them. But that was all a family love. He had never loved a woman before, never been _in_ love.

He was glad it was her he had finally gone and fallen for. He didn't think it could be anyone else. She was just so right for him. And he would do everything in his power to get her back.

Thinking about that day brought the conversation he had with Pike to mind…

* * *

_Jim had decided the next day after he had basically ran for his life from Christopher Pike that he would not run away anymore, he would face him head on. Last night he had realized after some thought that he loved Farrah, he was in love with Farrah. But, he had yet to say it out loud… he was in partial denial, if such a thing existed. _

_He rang the doorbell on the Pike family home, and waited a few moments before the door opened to reveal Christopher in his wheelchair, in his uniform… it was like he _knew _Jim was coming. _

_Jim opened his mouth to say something but it died in the back of his throat at the look he was receiving from the man. Damn it he was frightening. _

_He swallowed and attempted to try again but Pike started rolling his wheelchair backwards before turning it around, although he did not close the door. Jim looked around him, not sure what to do, but then Pike had lifted his arm and gestured with his hand for Jim to follow him inside. _

_He nodded to himself, it was now or never and started walking inside, not closing the door. _

"_Door," Christopher said and Jim immediately scrambled to close it, his only means of escape… hopefully the house had _stairs.

_Jim followed him into the living room, where he took a seat on a white couch and Christopher wheeled himself across from him. _

_They stared at each other for a good five minutes before the silence finally broke._

"_You know I'm an Admiral now, don't you?" Christopher asked him._

"_Uhh... yes, sir, I do sir, know that you're an Admiral now that is…sir…" Jim scrambled to reply not expecting that to be the first thing he would say._

"_So you know I have a high influence, much higher than I had as a Captain," Christopher informed him._

_Uh-oh… Jim thought, really not liking where this was going, all he could manage was a nod. _

"_It means I have access to where they station officers, places like freezing cold planets with dangerous wild beasts, or planets covered in jungles with poisonous _everything_, and even desert planets where the sun is so hot it could catch _you_ on fire if you're not careful," He said casually._

_Jim could only nod again. _

"_Good," Christopher nodded this time. _

"_Farrah has always had this talent for seeing things in people, in places, a sixth sense maybe. She gets it from me. I like to think I am an excellent judge of character Kirk. When I met you in that bar a few years ago bruised and bloody as you were, I still managed to see something in you, something I liked… I'm still trying to figure out if it was a mistake or not now. But my daughter, she does see something in you, cares about you more than I would like…" Pike trailed off looking at him with a speculative gaze. _

"_I love her!" Jim blurted out, before squeezing his eyes shut. Damn it! That's what he says? He was a dead man walking. _

"_Pardon me?" Pike asked, looking like he hadn't heard him right. _

"_I love her, sir," Jim said again, this time on purpose, "I'm sorry if you can't accept that, but I do, very much, sir. She has changed me for the better, shown me something I didn't even know was possible for me to have," He admitted, speaking from his heart. _

_He didn't want Pike to hate him, he admired the man, looked up to him, and he _was_ Farrah's father. _

"_I see," Pike replied slowly, nodding. _

_Jim nodded back._

"_I love my daughter Kirk, more than anything in this universe. And she cares about you, a lot. You make her happy. And all I want her to be is happy… I was hoping it would be someone... well not you… but she is a grown woman, and can make her own decisions." Christopher said to him. _

"_Thank you, sir, I am sure she appreciates it, and I know she loves you too," Jim replied in agreement._

"_But, if anyone were to ever hurt her, I am an Admiral now as I said, and they could be sent to any of those planets I spoke of. All their records would be deleted, heck, no one would even _know _they had existed in the first place," Christopher said giving him a hard look, "You understand what I'm saying, son?"_

_Jim nodded, he did, he sure did. While that threat wasn't specifically for him… it _was_ for him, "I understand, sir," He replied._

"_Good," Christopher said shaking his head looking at the coffee table, before looking up again and meeting Jim's eyes, "I also own multiple phasers," he added as an after thought. _

_Jim swallowed nervously._

* * *

Jim was not going to lose any more crew members, he couldn't. Not after loosing Gary, after he had been the one too… or Kelso, the two men he'd known since he started at the academy.

Shaking himself from those thoughts, they wouldn't do him any good now, he looked over to Uhura, "Any word from the recon shuttles?"

She shook her head, "Negative, captain," She said solemnly.

"You have twelve hours left, Captain. After that I will invoke my authority to order an immediate change of course to Makus III," The Commisioner said to him.

"I appreciate the _optimism_, Commissioner," Jim said turning to face him, "But I have _faith_ in my crew."

* * *

Over a day they had been down on the planet, a day of worrying for the safety of everyone aboard, a day of worrying about those _things _out there, a day of worrying if she would ever see Jim again. It was over 24 hours since they had been stuck on the planet, some time last night they had all been exhausted and tried to get some sleep in the uncomfortable shuttle. Fortunately it was equipped with rations of water and some gross dried food, and even some blankets they used before folding up and then tucking them back in the compartments.

Farrah didn't get much sleep, even though she had not actually _seen _the creatures, she knew they were out there. Latimer's body, which they had wrapped up in brown blankets before they had gone to sleep was a constant reminder of the seriousness of their situation.

She swore she heard growling last night, but realized it was probably just the fear taking hold of her mind. Every sound outside the shuttle set her teeth on edge, and she never took her hand off her phaser once.

She wasn't even sure if anyone had gotten any sleep. So now they were all just waiting around for Scotty to figure something out, doing the best to stay out of his way.

She was sitting in one of the shuttle seats right behind him and Lenny but she stood up at Scotty's next words.

"I've an idea that just may save the day, Commander!" He said looking over to Spock while scratching his head.

"A most welcome development, Mr. Scott," He replied walking over.

"Phasers!" Scotty explained holding one up, "I do believe I can muck with them enough so that we drain their energy to power the shuttle!"

"You really think that could work?" She asked Scotty a little skeptically.

"Aye, lass. It'll take time, but its our best shot, so to speak," Scotty replied nodding.

"Empty our phasers?" Lenny elaborated, "And what happens if those mist-shrouded monsters decide to come back? You think this little shuttle will keep out an army?" He asked him.

"Aye, there is that. And well…" Scotty trailed of like he didn't want to say what he had to say next.

"_Yes_, Mr. Scott?" Spock pushed.

"Even if I _can _get the engines online, we'll have a bare minimum of power. We'll need to lower the weight of the shuttle rather _drastically,_ I'm afraid…" Scotty trailed off lowering his head.

"You mean we will not have the sufficient power to carry _all of us_ back into orbit?" Spock asked looking over at the other crew members.

"…aye," Scotty replied, although reluctantly.

"Well that's just wonderful! And tell me, how do we decide who stays behind on this rock?" Lenny asked looking between them, "I don't suppose we could just draw straws?"

"As commanding officer, the choice will be mine," Spock said to him "A logical choice, arrived at through logical means. Should it become necessary of course. But I would advise all of us to prepare for the worst. In a matter of hours, the enterprise will be forced to abandon its search in order to continue to Makus III," Spock said to them, as all were now listening, "If we cannot achieve orbit before then…we will no choice but to face what awaits us outside."

No one said anything; No one knew how true Spock's words rang. No one saw outside the shuttle, the shadows of the creatures and their spears approaching.

* * *

"Your time is up, Captain Kirk," The commissioner said to him.

Jim knew their time was up, he kept looking at the time every moment he could spare, which he knew was not helping him.

"We can no longer delay our rendezvous to deliver the medical supplies to Makus III. Millions of lives depend on it," The Commissioner said to him, "It grieves me to say that we must abandon the search for your lost crew. Mr. Spock in particular was an irreplaceable officer, as well as Miss Pike. I have met her father on many occasions and know he will be deeply saddened by the news-"

"Are," Jim, corrected him.

"Excuse me?" The Commissioner asked.

"Mr. Spock and Miss. Pike _are_ irreplaceable officers," Jim replied looking up at him, "I'm not ready to write their obituaries just yet. But you're right. We do need to make this rendezvous," Jim agreed before looking away from him.

"Mr. Chekov, lay in a course for Makus III. Full impulse until we leave the system, Mr. Sulu," He said to the two officers in front of him.

"Sir…" Sulu began but Jim cut him off.

"That's an order, Mr. Sulu."

"…Yes, sir. Full impulse," Sulu agreed turning around to his chair.

No one onboard saw the look Jim and Uhura shared, or that Jim purposely looked away from her.

* * *

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